


To The Tomorrow I've Dreamed Of

by jks_microwave



Series: Black Cat Magic [5]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Angst, Bang Chan Needs A Hug, Black Cat Bang Chan, Black Cat Choi San, Black Cat Jung Hoseok, Black Cat Kwon Jiyong, Black Cat Lee Taemin, Chan is soft for his Stray Kids and they're soft for him, ChanLix, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Found Family, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Violence, Multi, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Trope Subversion, Were-Cat Changbin, Were-Cat Felix, Were-Cat Hyunjin, Were-Cat Jeongin, Were-Cat Jisung, Were-Cat Minho, Were-Cat Seungmin, black magic, black market
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:14:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 120,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28554468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jks_microwave/pseuds/jks_microwave
Summary: Bang Chan was born under a bad sign. Literally. Born on Friday the 13th in October, during one of the worst days the hospital had ever had and worse yet, fate had decided he was a Black Cat, a rare, cursed variant of the were-cat minority. Bad luck followed him like a cloud, shrouding him in darkness.But maybe, just maybe, in the bright lights of Seoul as he opens a Host Bar named God's Menu, Chan can find the light and family he's dreamed of.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Kim Seokjin | Jin & Original Female Character(s), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Black Cat Magic [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1961227
Comments: 130
Kudos: 199





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! If you read part 4 of this series (the SeongJoong one) then you might have already seen Chan and the others cameo already. Although this is the fifth part, chronologically, this happens before all the others. 
> 
> You don't need to read the other parts (the pairings or plot might not be your thing) all it'll do is fill in some world-building aspects. Were-Cats are essentially shifters, but they only have one form, usually a type of housecat. There are rare sub-variants like Big Cats or Black Cats, the latter being able to use Black Magic. 
> 
> If you have any questions, feel free to ask! :D 
> 
> Title is from "Blueprint" <3
> 
> [also, in case it's not clear, I'm not, like, delulu or anything and I'm not like IRL shipping anyone. Tis just a story.]
> 
> [Chan if you're here, why. Also drop some fluffy fic recs I know you got 'em]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan was born under a bad sign, blamed for everything that could go wrong in his small town. Suddenly, he finds himself thrown away and in a foreign country.
> 
> Will he ever find somewhere to call home?

Christopher Bang, or as he was known now, Bang Chan, had been born under a bad sign.

Literally.

He had been born during an eclipse on Friday the 13th in October, during one of the worst days in the hospital’s history. A record number of patients had been lost, and the staff struggled to get through multiple power failures in order to do their best to take care of their charges. His mother was one of the casualties of the unusual stretch of bad luck, passing on due to complications arising from his birth.

His father had sworn to protect him … until he saw the mark of the Black Cat on his child’s chest, right above his little heart and the earring on his right ear - silver, with a blood red, broken-heart charm dangling from the sparkling hoop. Once his father had seen that, everything changed.

His father tried for a couple years to raise his son, out of respect for his mother, but the town they lived in was small, and the neighbours talked. Life became impossibly difficult; nobody wanted to be near the Black Cat and by extension, his father. Opportunities was lost, resources were made scarce, and worst of all, no one would tell Chan what he did wrong. Chan had never done anything to anyone in their town, he didn’t even know what type of black magic he could use. Was that why?

Or was it that just existing as a Black Cat was enough to have a sentence and judgment passed on him?

_“I told you not to use your witchcraft on people, boy.”_

_“I didn’t! I didn’t do anything wrong!”_

_“So you just looked at Aiden and he had a mental breakdown? You’re not only a witch, but you’re a terrible liar too.”_

_Chris frowned at his father. “All I did was show him how he was making me feel! He shouldn’t have been so mean if he didn’t know what it felt like!” He was tired of always being bullied, of always being shoved in the dirt and having his earring pulled. He just wanted to play with the others; he wanted to learn about the world around him. He wanted to see the sunlight without having to worry about being seen himself._

_He remembered how his father’s eyes flashed with anger. “Do NOT use that godforsaken magic! Do you understand me? It’s bad enough that I can barely get enough to feed myself, without having to think about you too. Think before you act for once.”_

_“Okay…” He didn’t know why he was apologizing; he knew he didn’t do anything wrong. “— C-Can you help … s-stop the bleeding? Please?”_

_His father snorted. “Actions have consequences, boy. Clean yourself up.” Chris remembered the heavy sound of the first aid kit hitting the ground in front of him, a boy of six who barely knew how the world worked, but knew that it hated him._

_He was garbage at cleaning his wound; of course he was; he was a child. He remembered looking into the mirror in his attic room, where an ugly scar from being pelted with rocks went from his eyebrow down to his cheekbone on his left eye. The neighbour kids didn’t like him, and when he’d ‘hurt’ one of their own, it was the chance they needed to attack him like they’d wanted but couldn’t before._

_The only one that had been punished out of all of them involved in the incident … was Chris._

_* * *_

_“Dad! W-Where are we going?”_

_“You’re going overseas, boy.”_

_“Y-You’re not coming with me?”_

_“No.”_

_“W-Why do I have to go?”_

_“Because…” his father looked away, unable to meet his eyes - if Chris was honest, he wasn’t sure that his father had ever looked him in the eye or called him by name since he was consciously aware of it. “It’s because of what you are, boy. There’s no way I can survive because of what you are. Black Cats are bad news and I’ve just about had enough of your bad luck. Town council said there was only one way to solve this, and I’m … I’m just tired, boy. I’m done. I don’t remember where they’re going to send you, but you’ll be fine. Took a hell of a lot of work to find a pilot willing to fly you somewhere, so we didn’t have a lot of options.”_

_He remembered feeling faint, feeling like he was about to pass out, or cry, or both. “But … I didn’t do anything to anybody! Everybody says I’m bad, but I haven’t … I haven’t done anything!”_

_“You took her away from me. You were the reason the hospital couldn’t save her. Maybe with you gone, the luck in this town is going to turn around.”_

_“Dad! Please! I don’t want to go!”_

_“Don’t call me that.”_

Chan bolted upright in his bed - well, it could scarcely be called that - and felt cold sweat slide down his temples and down his back as his breathing struggled to stabilize. With a soft groan, he realized where he was: in a shitty apartment roughly the size of a shoebox in Seoul, with draft walls and a barely functioning window and door. But it was his, and that meant everything to him. He’d gotten it with his own blood, sweat and tears, scraping together funds from a variety of jobs ranging from the mundane to those he'd rather never talk about again.

With a heavy sigh, Chan slowly pushed himself out of bed and ran a hand through his black hair, trying to shake out the dampness from his sweat. There was no way he was going to get back to sleep at this rate, he realized with a deep sigh, making his way over to his small window. He slid it open after fighting with it for a minute, and leaned on the windowsill, staring out at the Seoul skyline. The big digital clock on a nearby skyscraper helpfully told him it was 2:27 a.m. Saturday morning.

Ah, the witching hour. He always liked this time of the night; he felt he could be himself during this time, something that was out of his reach during the day.

Slowly, Chan moved towards his closet and pulled on a worn black sweater and a pair of black jeans, tugging them on - they were not quite his size, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. He slipped his feet into his equally distressed and worn-out sneakers, hanging onto their last life; man he really needed to get a new pair but it was either new sneakers or food, and Chan needed to eat.

Actually… what Chan _needed_ was to learn how to control his magic. Food was necessary, but food wasn’t an unpredictable surge that he had no fucking clue what it did or how to use it. When he could slip into the electronic stores to use their demo computers and phones, his brief research led him to believe that Black Magic was an umbrella term and there were as many realms of specialization as there were people on Earth. There was nothing to tell him what he could do…

… or rather, what he was afraid he could do.

He’d been 10 years old when his father put him on a plane with a stranger and dumped him in a foreign land, away from everything he’d ever known. At the time, Chan hadn’t been sure if he should be upset or relieved that he didn’t have to deal with his small-minded town and the bullies that seemed to get worse the more he grew. Now, Chan was 20 years old and living in Seoul, South Korea where he’d been dumped off like he was illegal cargo, under the cloak of night with payment that had been arranged under the table. He’d been surprised when the pilot took him to some sort of halfway house; he’d half been expecting to be tossed onto the street and left to fend for himself.

In retrospect, it might have been better if he were left to his own devices than what was waiting for him in that house. Out of mental necessity, he figured, he didn’t remember a lot of his time at his initial lodging in Seoul, just that he bolted as soon as the paperwork that gave him a legal identity in the country went through. Later he would realize that the house was running some sort of racket, getting money in exchange for kids, but by that point he was long gone.

His name was Bang Chan now.

A small smile came to his lips as he walked through the streets; there was something remarkably calming about being able to walk amongst the people, when they didn’t yet know what he was. He liked to listen to the snippets of conversations as he walked by, feel the swell of emotions that carried throughout the crowds: most were riding the high of ‘tonight is the night, let’s party’ but there were some that were melancholy, trapped, angry, content, all sorts of emotions that made one feel alive.

“Mrow!”

Abruptly, Chan stopped and stared, his foot just about to come down on a Birman cat, who was staring back at him with an angry, blue-eyed glare. Chan’s own dual-coloured eyes blinked slowly and he carefully put his foot down away from the cat. He crouched down when he saw the cat was side-eying him as if waiting for an apology. “I’m sorry,” he said finally, offering a smile.

He held his hand out towards the cat, palm up, allowing the cat the opportunity to see if he was worth the effort. Chan could feel a little puff of air against his fingers as the Birman snorted at him, but seemed to let its curiosity get the better of it, sniffing at Chan’s fingers. Suddenly, the cat made a loud sound and head-butted his palm, maneuvering its head so that Chan’s larger hand was rubbing it.

“Oh, is this how you want your apology?” Chan asked with a little laugh, happily giving in and giving the Birman cat what it wanted. “I think I can accommodate that.” His laugh got louder as the cat suddenly seemed to realize something and got very offended, turning its head up at Chan and scurrying off. “Looks like he was embarrassed…”

His joints creaked as he pushed himself to his feet, dusting off his pants and straightening himself out. While Chan had nowhere in particular to be, he knew how it looked to be lollygagging in a backstreet when he looked how he did. Absently, he rubbed the faded scar along his eye, reminded once more that he had to set some money aside to buy concealer. As much as he had gotten accustomed to the scar and made peace with it, he knew that the world wasn’t going to be the same.

As a heavy exhale left him, Chan rubbed the back of his neck and felt the edge of his earring graze his wrist. That was another mystery; he’d had the earring for as long as he could remember, same as the Black Cat’s Mark on his chest; from what he could gather from his father’s mutterings, that’s how they knew what he was. But what did any of it mean? The earring was only one half of a pair, his left ear was bare and the Mark was as unhelpful as anything; he didn’t know what the Mark meant or if there was anything specific about it that was different between Black Cats. He’d never met another one before.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a strange purple glow and his brows furrowed together in confusion. He turned fully around and tilted his head: a psychic shop? He didn’t think those were actually open anymore. More than that, he didn’t think anybody believed in that sort of thing, wasn’t it the same as his black magic?

 _Come inside_.

He jumped and looked around wildly, a deep frown creasing his chapped lips when he realized that the voice came from inside his own head. Great; he’d skipped too many meals in order to make rent and now he was going crazy. Might as well go further down the rabbit hole and see what else his hallucinations wanted. With a heavy sigh, Chan steadied himself and brought himself inside the psychic shop, which seemed to be a stereotypical _hocus-pocus, I’m here to steal all your money_ type of deal.

“There you are,” a creaky old voice said, causing Chan to jump out of his skin. An old woman, hunched over and draped in black, seemed to come out from the darkness of the shop, an old black wood cane with a sparkling emerald in its handle supporting her weight. “I was wondering when you were going to show up, Christopher Bang.”

“Bang Chan,” he corrected politely, bowing respectfully. “Chris Bang… that’s not who I am anymore.”

The old woman hummed. “The old name is painful, I know, I know. But it is you, and you are it. Both names are good, very good. You are late.” She smacked his right knee with her cane, huffing when Chan hissed in pain. “Weak, too. Much too weak.”

“Hey,” Chan said, wounded. “I’m doing my best.”

“Hmm.” The woman tilted her head from side to side, her earrings jingling softly. “Good considering the circumstances, yes, yes. Nevertheless, Raven will be upset with me that I didn’t get you to her sooner. Yes. Can’t have that, no.”

Chan frowned. “Raven?”

The old woman took his hand and brought him over to a table covered in purple velvet. The cloth was inlaid with astrological signs, and Chan absently searched for his sign – the scales, Libra. “Raven will teach you,” the woman said plainly. “You have much to learn. You, and the other one.”

“ _Other one?_ ” Chan echoed.

“Will you just repeat what I say?” the woman asked, amusement tinging her tone. She chuckled as Chan flushed bright pink, covering his face with his hands. “Cute.” With a wave of her hand, purple and black wisps of smoke curled and coalesced into a piece of card stock – a business card. “Go here. When you arrive, speak these words: _I release fear, I release pain, and I release doubt._ The door will open and Raven will see you.”

Chan gently took the card and bowed deeply, looking down at it once he straightened up. “And she’s… this Raven; she’s going to teach me how to use my black magic?”

The woman nodded. “Raven will teach you.”

What did he really have to lose? This was the most promising lead he’d had since he landed in Seoul 10 years ago. He bowed one more time before rising to his feet and slipped the thin business card into his front pocket. “Thank you.”

“Shrouded in the dark, that one,” he heard the woman mutter as he opened the window. “Will be some time before the light comes. However, the light will come. His soulmate is the light… he will break the dark. Soon, soon.”

Chan’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he exited the shop, not wanting to let on that she’d heard him – though, given everything else about this night … she probably did it on purpose so he _could_ hear her. Once he was out on the streets again, Chan slipped the business card out of his pocket and gave it a proper look: it was all black, both the back and the front. “What the… why would she give me a blank card…?” His lips curled into a frown as he examined the card, holding it up to the moonlight as if that would help.

As frustration began to set in, Chan almost wished he could figure out the card’s secrets by feeling it out like he’d do with people. The mark on his chest throbbed slightly, his fingers beginning to feel like they were about to burst out from his hand in irritation. He gripped the card tightly between his index fingers and thumbs, staring intently at the black card. Suddenly, green and black wisps curled around his fingers as they _came out from underneath his hands what the fuck_ , curling around the card… and revealing an address.

“What the?!” Chan stared at the card, the address clear as day. “Well… no time to think about it. Maybe this Raven can help. If not, well… at least I tried.” A part of him worried that he might die at the end of this, but … honestly, he was beginning to get a bit nihilistic about his life. Maybe it’d be a mercy at this point.

It took a bit longer than he would have liked as the subway had stopped running and the buses were running on reduced schedules, but after about an hour, Chan found himself in front of an impressive looking house. It looked more western than something he’d see in Seoul, like it took its inspiration from an old European castle.

 _Say the words_.

Chan jumped. He hoped that wasn’t going to be a reoccurring thing. He swallowed thickly and nodded. “I release Fear, I release Pain, and I release Doubt,” he said clearly, straightening himself up to his full height. He suddenly found himself inside the house, standing in front of a large Blackwood desk, and a young woman sitting behind it, clad in black. Her eyes were as black as night, but strangely, Chan didn’t feel any unease either from her or because of her. “O-Oh.”

“Christopher Bang,” she said softly, pushing herself up from the desk. “Or… I believe you’re called Bang Chan now?”

Realizing that she was asking which one he preferred, Chan bowed deeply. “I prefer Bang Chan,” he said. “Chan’s fine, too.”

A small smile creased Raven’s ox-blood red lips. “Chan it is, then. As you may have guessed, my name is Raven. I’ve been waiting for you… you must have a lot of questions about what you are, why it is people seem to hate us so much.”

Shocked, Chan could only numbly nod. “Can you really tell me?”

“Oh, I can tell you everything… except who your soulmate is,” Raven replied blithely, leading Chan out of the room and into a long hallway. Her hair swished from side to side as she walked, and the various beads and charms that were woven into thin braids in her hair briefly distracted Chan, causing him to lose pace for a moment.

“S-Soulmate?” he echoed carefully. “The old woman said something about that too.”

Raven hummed in acknowledgement, leading Chan further down the impressively long hallway before banking right and leading him down a few levels. “Poor thing,” she murmured, as if to herself, “no one told you anything, did they?” Louder, she continued, “Black Cats wander; we rarely stay in one place and we rarely form bonds. We go where we please, we do what we want, we live to upset the balance… because balance doesn’t want us. There are exceptions, of course, but there is a restlessness about us that Fate herself does not like. She sees to it that each Black Cat is given a Soulmate. One that is our other half, and we are theirs.”

Chan frowned. “That sounds like they’re forcing people to be with us.”

“It can feel like that,” Raven admitted as she touched her own earring, one that seemed to be a crescent moon. “I myself haven’t found mine, and I don’t believe I ever will. Nevertheless… Fate works in mysterious ways, as the saying goes. As much as Fate will ‘give’ us a soulmate, it is up to us to find them, to make it work. I suppose Fate herself is a middle-man, ensuring that the world remains balanced.” Raven paused and turned, lightly flicking Chan’s earring with her finger. “That’s what this is. Your soulmate will have the other half. Each pair is unique; no one will have anything that looks remotely like it. You will not see the design in a store, nor will anyone ever think to copy it.”

“…won’t they be upset? That I’m … that their soulmate is a Black Cat? Do they even know that’s what their earring means?” Chan asked, quickly picking up the pace to catch up to Raven once she started to walk again.

Raven paused as she took out a cast iron key with a sapphire inlaid in its handle, and opened a door. “Some might be upset,” she admitted. “People are still people, after all. Your soulmate may be another were-cat, they may be another Black Cat. They may even be human. Like I said, it’s up to you and them to work through it. Fate only puts you together; everything else is in our hands.”

“That’s so vague,” Chan complained, running a hand through his hair.

Raven laughed. “I would have thought you’d like to be more in control of how your life goes. – Hoseok, are you here?”

A young man a few years older than Chan popped his head up from behind a frankly impressive fort of books. “I’m here, Raven-noona!” he called, pushing himself up and straightening out his clothes. Hoseok’s eyes were a bright yellow, and he was dressed in black pants and a faded shirt that had been dyed all the colours of the rainbow. “Oh! Is this the guy you were waiting for?”

“This is Chan,” Raven answered with a nod. She turned to Chan and smiled. “This is Jung Hoseok; he has similar Black Magic to you so I’ll be training the two of you together. It’s my hope that you will take what you’ve learned here and help others you find. I can’t take everyone in, nor can I teach everyone, but I hope that you can pass on what you’ve been taught to those you meet along the way. I’ll give you the fundamentals of what you need, but you’ll be exploring your magic independently. Everyone’s magic is different.”

Chan felt faint. “How did you know… that I would come and find you? That … I’d walk by that old woman’s shop? It could have been any number of nights or years later that I’d go down that alley…”

Raven smiled. “Don’t worry about that; soon you’re going to be so busy that you’re not going to think about how I knew about you.

“…Fair enough.”

His life fell into a different routine after that: he would go to his shifts at the convenience store when scheduled, and when he wasn’t sleeping, he was at Raven’s, training with Hoseok and being put through the metaphorical wringer. Even during the downtime at the convenience store, Chan was using any spare time to study. Raven was a strict taskmaster, and though she held Chan and Hoseok to high standards, she was never unkind or abusive.

Even if it was a brutal schedule, Chan was no stranger to busting his ass. But it felt _doable_ for the first time in ten long years as someone finally believed in him. He could sense Raven’s underlying emotions as she taught them - there was only the desire to help them survive and help others of their Kind. He wanted to do that for others, so no one would have to go through what he did.

Hoseok being there with him also helped - the older man was a highly determined, highly energetic sort, patient and brightly shining as he helped Chan slowly come out of his shell. Studying didn’t seem nearly as daunting when Hoseok was using sound effects to help bolster his point when they were testing each other’s progress. He wasn’t alone, he had a friend, he had a mentor. It was already more than Chan had ever dreamed for when he came to Seoul as a child.

“Okay, I’m definitely not getting this as easily or as accurately as you are,” Hoseok said one night, rubbing his head in frustration. His heart shaped lips curled into a pout.

Chan blinked. “Really?” He looked from Hoseok to another Black Cat, one of Raven’s other students who had been volunteered to help them test their emotion-based Black Magic. “What do you sense?”

Hoseok wrinkled his nose. “Just that they’re hiding something. I can’t figure out anything past that.” He looked down at his notes. “Kind of like how you can see the outline of a ship in the fog out on the sea, but you can’t see anything else. You know something’s there and kind of what it is, but it’s not clear.” He looked over at Chan. “What do you sense?”

“The only thing they’re hiding is how bored they are by sitting here doing nothing for the last three hours,” Chan replied, laughing sheepishly as he fiddled with his soulmate earring. “Can’t say I blame them.”

Hoseok made a face and groaned, putting his face in his hands with a breathless laugh. “Okay you’re definitely way better at this than I am. I think I can safely rule out that it’s not my specialty.”

“Can I go…?” the other Black Cat asked carefully, blinking.

Chan nodded. “Yeah, I think we’re done here. Thanks for your help.”

The other Black Cat nodded and bowed slightly before shuffling off with a loud yawn. After their initial boot camp with the fundamentals of Black Magic - different types, component use, rules, safety, best practices that other Black Cats used - Chan and Hoseok were left to their own devices to further figure out their specialization. He had to hand it to Raven - when she said that they would be largely independent, she wasn’t kidding.

“So what do you think your specialty is?” Chan asked, leaning back on his hands. He watched curiously as Hoseok flipped through his notebook, almost a full halfway filled with trial and error notations as the older man tried to figure out what he was best at.

Hoseok sucked on his teeth. “Definitely not emotion/intent sensing. You’ve got that on lock and I’m like … I’m not _terrible_ but it’s like you’re at 97% and I’m at 56%.”

Chan bit his lip to bite down a smile. “That’s very specific. How’d you get to those calculations?”

“You know what I mean!” Hoseok huffed. “So let’s… let’s just say that’s like a tertiary specialization.”

“Tertiary, sure,” Chan agreed, amused. He watched as Hoseok flipped to a blank page in his notebook, leaning over to take a peek. “You know, you’re a really good artist, Hobi-hyung.”

Hoseok beamed as he turned the notebook to the side so Chan could see the picture better as he worked. “Thanks, Channie! I love this sort of stuff… figuring out the different glyphs and runes and stuff and what they stand for how to modify them… I wanna do more of it. Not that learning how emotions works is interesting, but… I dunno, this makes more sense.”

“No, it makes perfect sense,” Chan agreed, nodding. “It clicks better in your head than sensing people’s emotions. Like the pieces fall into place when it comes to magical symbols, whereas it’s just a muddy mess when it comes to emotion-reading.”

“Yeah, exactly!” Hoseok hopped up a bit in his seat, excited. “I don’t get people’s emotions at _all_. You can see them like it’s laid out on a map but to me, it’s like … a mess.”

“I mean, emotions _are_ a mess, you’re not wrong there,” Chan said, laughing as he scratched his cheek. “I can’t make heads or tails out of the glyphs so you _definitely_ have me beat there.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened and he flipped through his notebook, scooting over so that he was directly beside Chan. “Nonononono! Look! It’s so cool! So this is the main one and that’s the closest to the Black Cat Mark. So the Mark itself is kind of like a hint as to what kind of magic the Black Cat uses. So you see this is yours —”

“—wait how did you see mine? It’s on my chest—”

“—Channie, we basically live together if I _didn’t_ see your chest at some point it’d be really weird. You’ve gotta tell me how you managed to get abs when I know for a fact you’ve just been here and at a convenience store.”

Chan blinked slowly, self-consciously touching his abdomen with his right hand. “I, uh… street rat diet, mostly, and a lot of cardio. I guess. I dunno. I lift a lot of the heavier boxes at the convenience store…”

Hoseok snorted and returned back to the notebook. “ _Anyway_ , the Black Cat Mark is kind of like a roadmap - like, not a super detailed one but enough that you can like figure out what cat can do what. So this is yours! You and I both have the rune for ‘emotion’ but yours looks different than mine. And I have this weird part right here that you don’t.”

Leaning in curiously, Chan tilted his head to get a better look at the drawing. “So what does it mean?”

“This one’s …” Hoseok trailed off, flipping back and forth between a couple of pages in the front of the notebook. “I’m still working on the finer points but I think it’s more to do with art. Like this is the rune that all the other ones stem from. See how it looks like the one on my Mark?”

Chan’s brows furrowed as he peered at the subtle differences and similarities between the two pictures. “I think so,” he admitted, rubbing his neck. “So what you’re saying is that you think your specialty is more with … drawing magic runes?”

Hoseok hummed and tilted his head from side to side. “I don’t know, because it’s so vague.”

“It’s _all_ vague,” Chan pointed out. “I don’t think I’ve met someone who spoke in as many cryptic half truths as Raven-noona.”

“She wants us to figure it out for ourselves; if she tells us it won’t stick nearly as well as if we came to that discovery,” Hoseok explained, flipping back to the last page where he’d been sketching both his and Chan’s Marks. “Raven-noona drops a lot of hints, though.”

“She _does?_ ”

“Mm,” Hoseok confirmed, resting his chin on his palm. “It’s super micro-actions, though, so if you weren’t looking for it you wouldn’t see it. Honestly, I kinda wanna ask her if she’s like… an actor or a linguist or some kind of psychologist because it’s like a masterclass in weaving secrets—”

“Hyung, focus.”

“Sorry!” Hoseok gave a sheepish giggle and ruffled his own hair. “I mean, she’s vague because there’s so many variants but I think she has a pretty solid idea based on our Marks. The thing is, she’s not some, like, all-powerful Black Cat so she can’t teach us everything. She can show us where the information is, but it’s up to us to learn it. It’s really fascinating,” Hoseok said in a rush, looking down at the notebook. There was a frenetic energy to the way Hoseok spoke, and Chan raised an eyebrow. “ANYWAY. The whole point is that I know it has _something_ to do with how runes and glyphs make more sense to me but it’s such a wide field that I don’t know. I feel like I’m going to be here forever trying to figure it out.” He laughed sheepishly, rubbing his neck. “What do you think?”

Chan listened carefully, sitting cross-legged with his sleeves pulled over his hands so he could have them cover his hands. “Do you _really_ not know what your specialty is?” Chan asked softly, glancing over at his hyung, through the longish locks of his chin length hair that had gotten in his face again; he was desperate for a haircut but too poor to afford one and too afraid of fucking up his hair to try it himself. “That… no, sorry. Please excuse me, hyung.”

“If you’ve got something to say, Channie, you should just say it,” Hoseok said quietly, the air in the room suddenly shifting to something far more tense.

Chan glanced down at his sweater paws before straightening up and looking at Hoseok with his dual coloured eyes. “I think you know what your specialty is and you don’t want to acknowledge it because you’re afraid of what’s going to happen once you do. Maybe that… Raven-noona is going to kick you out and you’ll lose the only home you’ve had.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened and the colour drained from his face. “You know you shouldn’t be using _that_ part of your ability on me,” he said, his voice dangerously soft with an edge that indicated that Chan better tread carefully. There was a lot that Hoseok hid behind his bright smile, and the subsequent months since he came to Raven’s estate proved that, especially the more Chan got comfortable with his magic.

“I’m not,” Chan replied truthfully, not moving his gaze from Hoseok’s. “I would never read your mind, Hoseok-hyung. But the emotional waves coming off you are so clear that it would be hard not to figure out that you’re dragging your feet on purpose.” He unfurled his sweater paws and tapped the notebook with a finger. “This… you wouldn’t have all this information about runes and glyphs if you didn’t have the confidence of knowing that you _did_ know it.”

The older were-cat’s cheeks hollowed as he clenched his jaw and his fists clenched tightly. “So _what_ if I’m afraid?” he challenged.

“…Nothing’s wrong with being afraid,” Chan answered softly. “I’m scared too. This is the closest thing I’ve had to a home and a family since I’ve been born. I don’t want to lose it either.”

“ _But?_ ” Hoseok was staring holes in him now, his yellow eyes bright with something that Chan couldn’t immediately identify. He could feel the intensity from Hoseok’s emotions, rolling off him in waves like a swirling current. “But _what_ , Channie?”

Chan fell silent, staring down at his hands. “I don’t see why we can’t keep in touch one we’ve left Raven-noona’s estate. I don’t have a phone, but … can’t we stay in touch? You know where I work. We could visit. We could… we could stick together. There’s no rule that says we can’t.” He chewed on his lip. “But if you don’t want to… I understand.”

Silence stretched for an uncomfortable amount of time before Hoseok suddenly threw his arms around Chan, hugging him tightly. He nuzzled his nose against Chan’s neck, mumbling something under his breath that Chan couldn’t make out. But what he _could_ make out was the relief that was washing over Hoseok and with a small smile coming to his lips, Chan reached up and wrapped his arms around him.

“I hate it, I hate being alone,” Hoseok admitted quietly, his voice rough and thick from his tears, “I never did anything to anyone. I don’t … why does everyone hate me so much? They don’t even know me!”

“Are you me?” Chan asked, laughing a bit because if he didn’t laugh, he’d be in tears just like Hoseok. “My hometown paid a pilot to take me over the ocean to another country so I wouldn’t mess up their lives any more than I already had. The town hated me, they blamed me for everything that went wrong.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened and he suddenly clapped two hands to Chan’s cheeks. “Channie! That’s horrible! I didn’t even have a family to let me down! That’s so much worse!” He hugged the younger were-cat close, nuzzling him comfortingly.

Chan laughed a little to hide his embarrassment. “It’s not a ‘whose life sucked more’ competition,” he chided gently. “But… I mean… you’re not alone now. I’m not alone now. We have each other. Let’s stay in touch even when we leave here, okay?”

“Okay!” Hoseok smiled brightly and tugged the notebook over. “I’m… I knew a couple of months ago… I knew that I could modify glyphs and … I knew I could make ones for each Black Cat… to … to help their magic once they knew what their specialty was. Like… with yours! I designed these.” He flipped to the very back of the notebook, showing Chan several sketches of two full arm sleeves, thigh tattoos, and a back/neck tattoo. “Um, so… the magic points are on the forearms, chest, neck, and thighs… They’re kind of in random spots and just a glyph there looks stupid so… I’ve um…”

Chan smiled. “You designed tattoos to make it stand out less?” Hoseok nodded quickly, pleased as punch that Chan caught on so quickly. “These look incredible, Hoseok-hyung. Do you really know how to tattoo?”

“I’ve been apprenticing at a shop for the last couple of years,” Hoseok confirmed, grinning. “I know… I know people don’t really like tattoos still, but I think… I think it’s a way to help us … take ownership of our marks, you know?”

“That’s incredible,” Chan enthused, pulling the notebook over to look at the designs. “Could you do mine?”

“I’ll be doing both of yours,” Raven said from behind them, leaning against the doorframe. She smiled as the boys jumped, and laughed a little, waving a hand. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

Hoseok’s golden yellow eyes widened. “Really? You’ll be giving us our tattoos?” He’d noticed that a lot of the Black Cats in Raven’s estate had skillfully done tattoos and Hoseok had perhaps made a nuisance of himself trying to get the story out of each and every one of them. Sue him, he was curious.

Raven came over and sat down at the table with them, the charms in her hair jingling softly. Chan noticed her eyes weren’t pitch black anymore, but a steely blue. He wondered if she could change them at will, or if it had some sort of trigger; their mentor was as cryptic as the day they met. “It seems like you two have made quite a lot of progress,” she noted, her painted fingernail tapping one of the pages in Hoseok’s notebook.

The two young Black Cats shared a long look with each other. “We have,” Chan said, nodding slowly. “But we were… we wanted to talk to you about what happens now.”

“Hmm?” Raven rested her hands on the table, the soft clink of her bracelets hitting the table sounding like a little melody. Chan wondered if it would be stuck in his head afterwards. “Do you mean with your time here?”

“…Yeah,” Hoseok confirmed, nodding. “Are you… going to kick us out now?”

Raven raised an eyebrow. “Kick you out? No, I would never. But I believe that sooner than later, you two will grow out of this house and strike out on your own; I believe there’s more in store for you than can be contained within these walls. Do not be afraid of exploring who you are, what you feel, what you want.”

“Oh thank God,” Hoseok whispered, putting his face in his hands. “I was so worried…”

“Did you really think I would be so cruel as to kick you two out once you had your specialities figured out?” Raven asked, lightly touching Hoseok’s soulmate earring, her smile fond.

Chan shifted in his spot. “We didn’t know in general,” he explained. “It sounded… like you would say it’s up to us now and show us the door, but… I don’t know, we … we were hoping we could stay a bit longer.”

Raven smiled and put a hand on both their heads, giving them a soft pat. “While you can’t stay here forever, you’re more than welcome to stay here as you gain confidence in your skills. Like I said, it won’t be long before you want to leave and when that time comes, I will see you off.”

“…Will we see you again?” Hoseok asked softly, glancing up at her.

“I’m positive our paths will cross again. This house will be open to you, whenever you wish to return to it,” Raven said gently, tapping his cheek. “But what it will not be is a crutch. You two are strong, you will forge your own bonds outside of here, spread what you know to the younger ones. This, I know.”

Chan and Hoseok shared a look. “You’re positive of that?” Chan asked, dumbfounded. “I don’t know if I could teach anyone anything.”

Raven laughed and lightly pinched his cheek. “You in particular will draw many to you. You will care for them and they in turn, will care for you. In particular, the light of your soulmate will pierce the darkness that has shrouded you for so long.”

“You and that old woman keep saying that,” Chan said, almost pouting. It was getting annoying that no one was saying what they really meant. Even more frustrating was that Raven was far more skilled than anyone else he knew when it came to concealing her emotions.

“Because it’s true. Now, let me see these designs, Hoseok…” Raven murmured as she turned the book towards herself. “You’re remarkably close to what I would’ve done, just a few things that will come with experience. The sleeves are a good idea… I’ll leave those to you when Chan’s able to afford your services.”

“Hey!”

Hoseok giggled into his hand. “I would do Channie’s for free as he’d be my guinea pig!”

“HEY.”

Raven bit back a laugh, but it was clear in her eyes. “Oh, I see. Well, come on you two. Let’s get started.”

Both boys were quick to their feet, knowing that Raven didn’t suffer insubordination (no matter how light it was) lightly. “Now?” Chan asked cautiously.

“When else? I’m satisfied that those are correct and the road ahead is difficult; you’ll be spending a lot more of your time honing your craft.” Raven snapped her fingers and gestured for the two young men to follow her to a room they’d never been to before, in a section of the estate that was largely off limits. “Hoseok-ah, I want you to pay particularly close attention.”

“Yes, Raven-noona!”

Truth be told, Chan didn’t remember a damn thing when it came to getting his magical glyphs and runes tattooed on his magical pressure points. He was focusing so hard on not moving despite the searing pain and the sudden shift in how his magical energy felt - no longer a free flow but tightly controlled - that his memory suppressed the whole five hour session. Raven worked with pinpoint precision, engraving Chan’s Marks with no hesitation, only asking after each one if he was okay to continue. At the end of it all, Chan felt like he was about to pass out and only had Hoseok’s gentle but firm touch to ground him.

“You sure you’re okay?” Hoseok asked gently. “That looked intense.”

“It _felt_ intense,” Chan croaked, dizzy as the adrenaline abruptly faded. “But … it’s … better? I think? I don’t feel … so tired?”

Raven smiled as she flexed her fingers. “You were exhausted because your magic had no conduit to help it flow properly, so you were like a dam that had burst and was left to run itself out. Your training will now consist of learning to adapt to this and mastering your magic with this assistance.” She gestured for Hoseok to take his spot. “I’ll have you come and observe when I do this for the young ones that come subsequent to this,” Raven said to Hoseok as he got settled. “Soon this will be your duty.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened. “Me? Really?” Suddenly, he nodded seriously. “I can do that! I want … I want to help our kind anyway I can.”

Raven smiled in response. “Both of you have such sweet hearts… your soulmates are going to be very lucky.”

“What about your soulmate, Raven-noona? If it’s okay to ask… I haven’t seen them around,” Hoseok asked carefully, much too curious for his own good.

“Mm, I haven’t met them yet. I don’t know if I will,” Raven replied, her answer much the same as it had been to Chan all those months ago. “I’m not particularly concerned. If I am to meet them, I will.”

Hoseok grinned and looked over at Chan. “I bet they’re rich and famous, and, like… the life of the party, but someone that’s really caring and responsible. That would be a good type for you. Raven-noona is always so serious.”  
  
Raven smirked slightly. “Oh you think so, huh?” She pinched his cheek. “Focus on this instead of who you think my soulmate is. Yours are going to hurt a lot more than Chan’s because of the difference in your energies.”

The playful light in Hoseok’s eyes paled slightly. “What?”

“Deep breaths,” was all Raven replied before she got to work.

Hoseok’s tattoos did in fact take much longer than Chan’s, about an extra two hours due to the intricacy of the glyphs and runes required to tie the magical energies into something manageable for the young Black Cat. Chan watched interestedly, more than happy to let Hoseok grip him as tightly as he needed to. Seven hours later, Hoseok was finished and he leaned heavily against the younger Black Cat.

“Just bury me now,” he groaned.

Chan laughed and gave his friend a gentle nuzzle. “You can’t die yet; you have a lot of studying to do.”

“I’m not hearing a reason to stay alive, Channie.”

“Come on, hyung. — Thank you, Raven-noona.”

Raven smiled. “You’re welcome, you two. Rest up and let me know if anything happens with your marks. Nothing should, but … one never quite knows with Black Magic.”

Luckily, nothing had in the subsequent days much to the two young Black Cats’ relief, and they were then able to hunker down and train in earnest. With a direction to go in, it didn’t seem nearly as impossible as it had in their earlier days at the Estate. Chan and Hoseok weren’t able to spend nearly as much time as they had been earlier due to the divergence in their specializations, but the pair made sure to meet at the end of the day every day to decompress and debrief each other.

“No way! You can make potions now too? Mine always explode,” Hoseok groaned one night as the pair sat outside, staring up at the night sky.

Chan laughed and shook his head. “It’s really tricky,” he admitted. “I found out I had a knack by accident when I helped Bam Bam with one of his assignments. But… like … it clicks. I can make my own and they… I really just want to make people feel better. So I can’t really … I don’t like making negative ones. But the ones where you can make someone feel content and warm? Love making those.”

Hoseok grinned. “But I bet you’re good at making the bad ones too. You seem like the type to really like experimenting with different ingredients and timings and stuff to see what you get.”

Chan flushed in embarrassment. “I don’t want to ever use them, but potion making is so interesting. It’s not just … toil and boil, double trouble stuff. It’s like making drinks as a bartender. But, uh, more potent.”

“That’s so cool.”

“…hey Hobi-hyung?”

“Yeah, Channie?”

“…I think I’m going to leave the estate soon.” He looked over at his hyung, biting his lip. “I want to… I don’t know how to explain it. There’s something out there calling me and I need to find it. Even though… even though… I don’t want to leave, I want to stay here forever and learn things with you, I… is that bad?” he finished quietly.

Hoseok was silent for a long moment before shaking his head with a smile. They’d been at Raven’s estate for almost a year, and if Hoseok was truthful with himself, he’d been feeling restless as of late himself. He found himself lagging when he had to leave the tattoo shop, spending longer when he went out to music clubs… or maybe he just wanted to see more of that rapper with the Daegu accent.

“It’s not bad,” he said finally. “I’m… I want to go out there too. See what I can do. I didn’t think I’d ever feel that way. But … I know what I can do now. Everything else, I can figure it out along the way.”

“Right, exactly,” Chan agreed. “But it’s scary, isn’t it?”

“Bold of you to assume I’m not fucking terrified.”

Chan looked over at him. “We’ll… have to split ways, huh?”

Hoseok nodded slowly. “Yeah… but! Like you said. There’s no reason we can’t keep in touch. We have enough shit to go through, I don’t see the point in _actively_ making it worse on ourselves.”

“True.” Chan looked up at the sky. “…should we tell Raven-noona?”

“She probably already knows.”

“…even so.”

Hoseok smiled. “Yeah, let’s tell her.”

It had been easier than they thought to break the news to their mentor, and she smiled at them as if she’d been expecting it for some time. Quietly, she got up from her desk and wrapped her arms around the two young men. “You’ve done so well,” she whispered. “You’re always welcome to come back here when you need to, and I hope that your time here has been good.”

“Of course it has!” Chan exclaimed, startled. “You… Raven-noona, you were the first one to believe in me. The first person who didn’t… recoil or throw something at me because of what I was. What I am. I’m always going to be grateful to have met you, to have learned from you. I’ll visit whenever I can, I promise.”

Hoseok nodded and bowed deeply. “Me too! No one thought I was ever worth anything and I was just… left to die in a gutter by a family that didn’t want me. But … you took me in and you encouraged me to embrace this weird power of mine. I’m not going to let you down. I want to teach any black cat I see what they can do, and I want them to know it’s … they’re worth the effort.”

Raven smiled fondly. “You two have grown… but there’s still more to do. Go, with my blessing.” She kissed their foreheads, brushing their wild bangs from their eyes. “Take care of each other. We may wander, but we Black Cats should stick together when we can.”

Relief seemed to visibly wash over the two young men, and they hugged her tighter. “We will,” Hoseok promised. “I don’t think I can naively promise that we’ll be best friends forever, but we’ll keep in touch for sure.”

“Please do.”

There was a heaviness in Chan’s chest as Raven let them go, both figuratively and literally, and stepped back, standing at the entrance of the estate. Hoseok and Chan shared a long look with each other before bowing deeply to Raven and heading off out of the estate’s boundaries, watching as the mysterious house disappeared into its magical barrier. He adjusted his backpack, filled with his belongings acquired from his time at Raven’s: components, his spell books, a basic set of portable equipment.

“Channie… let’s get cell phones.”

Chan blinked. “Hobi-hyung, I don’t have enough money to eat, let alone get a cell phone.”

Hoseok snorted and smacked his arm. “There are cheap ones! Come on. I’ll show you where.” Befuddled and easily led, Chan followed Hoseok as the older Black Cat led him to the electronics store part of the neighbourhood and deeper still to the back alleys where he exchanged brief pleasantries with the shopkeep before getting a pair of old flip phones up and running. “Here!”

Chan stared, baffled, as a simple black flip phone was pressed into his palm, fully operational. “Hyung, I can’t accept this…”

“Don’t be silly! It’s pretty cheap to pay each month and you can just give me whatever you can until you’re better on your feet.” Hoseok grinned. “Consider it thanks for kicking me in the ass when I was running away from myself.”

Reverently, Chan closed his fingers over the phone and tightly hugged the other Black Cat. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice cracking.

Startled with the sudden display of affection from the usually quiet and withdrawn young man, Hoseok was temporarily buffering as he struggled to process what was happening. He grinned soon enough, though, and hugged Chan back tightly. “You got it,” he said quietly. “I’ve got my number in there, so you can call me whenever. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Hoseok smiled. “Good luck, Channie.”

Chan nodded back and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Hoseok-hyung. You too.” As the pair parted ways for now, Chan exhaled deeply as he stared up at the full moon that hung in the sky. His heart felt heavy as he watched over his shoulder as Hoseok disappeared into the alley, but there was something else that pulled him along the road and into the bustling main streets of the city that was still pulsing this late at night.

Finally… he seemed to know what he was doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm who was that Birman cat...? ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weeks after losing his job, Chan finds himself being yelled at by Kim Seokjin about a job he didn't apply for. Once pulled into Seokjin's orbit, everything changes.

He had no idea what he was doing.

Chan had managed to hold onto his convenience store job for a grand total of two weeks following the culmination of his training before he got fired. He wished he could have had a reason to be mad about it, like if he had been profiled and the manager didn’t want a Black Cat on staff, but it was more the downturn in business and a rough economic patch than anything else. Chan couldn’t even be mad about it; he understood and felt the manager’s guilt at firing an orphan who had been nothing but sweet and competent since being hired. He did offer to be a reference, and that was more than Chan could have ever asked for.

But he was still jobless as fuck.

Chan wasn’t sure how long he spent pounding the pavement and trying to get a new job with his limited experience, but he was beginning to think that he’d have more luck if he resorted to pickpocketing or something. Quickly, Chan shook his head. No, he couldn’t stoop that low. He wasn’t that desperate yet that he’d fall to the depths that people assumed he’d stoop to as a Black Cat. He’d find a way. He promised Hoseok and Raven he would.

Hoseok had bombarded him with a constant stream of text messages since they’d gotten their new phones, and Chan felt guilty that he could only respond every once in a while. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to his hyung, he had no idea what to say other than he got fired and he’s been trying to get a job which has been as easy as lassoing a fly with a spool of fraying thread.

 **Hobi-hyung [11:01 a.m.]  
** Channie! How’s it going? 

**Chan [11:05 a.m.]  
** Trying to find a new job, not having much luck

 **Hobi-hyung [11:05 a.m.]  
** :O  
Noooo  
Do you need any help? 

**Chan [11:10 a.m.]  
** I’m fine, hyung  
it’s just taking some time  
— sorry, I need to go.  
This guy’s yelling at me  
saying I’m late for a job I didn’t apply for

 **Hobi-hyung [11:11 a.m.]  
** What??? 

**Chan [11:12 a.m.]  
** I’ll explain later

“How could you do this to me?!” the man demanded, pointing at Chan’s chest with a pointed thrust of his index finger. He was taller than Chan, with distressingly handsome features and full lips. He also had a very strong lung capacity as he had been yelling non-stop at Chan without letting the younger man get a word in edgewise. “You know how important today is! We’re unveiling the new drink menu and I can’t have a drink menu with no bartender right before the lunch rush! What do you have to say for yourself?”

Chan held his hands up. “I think you’ve got the wrong person. My name is Bang Chan, and I would remember applying to be a bartender at… uh… wherever this is.”

The man threw his hands up in the air, looking heavenward for guidance. “And now you’re playing dumb! Come on! We don’t have time for this!” he grabbed Chan by the wrist and with a surprising amount of strength, hauled the younger man into what appeared to be a high-end restaurant. “I can’t believe that I, _Kim Seokjin_ , have to deal with this! Have I not been tested enough in my short life?”

“Uh…”

“Here!” Seokjin pulled Chan over to the bartender station, where liquor that cost more than Chan’s entire existence was beautifully arranged on glass shelving with LED lights underneath to give it an ethereal glow. “All the drink recipes are here. Mix and serve.” Chan opened his mouth to protest further, but blinked as Seokjin put a finger over his lips. “We’ll discuss this when we close. Don’t think I don’t have punishment in mind for doing this to me.”

And that is how Chan suddenly found himself “employed” at Kim Seokjin’s restaurant _Moon_ , which was rapidly increasing in popularity. Several weeks of getting nowhere with employment and out of nowhere, the young Black Cat found himself slinging drinks from behind a bar he had no business being behind. As Seokjin had indicated, the drink recipes were hidden behind the bar’s counter and were easy enough to follow - Chan was never more thankful for his background in making potions than he was during not only the power lunch rush, but the dinner rush and the salaryman rush near the end of the night.

As he was cleaning up the glasses in the sink, he noticed a tall figure standing in front of the bar. Realizing it was Seokjin, Chan bowed deeply. As the shock of the night wore off, Chan realized that the man that had abruptly pulled him into employment was the famous model, fashion designer and now restauranteur Kim Seokjin. The name had seemed vaguely familiar but Chan had been so wrapped up in processing the insanity unfolding around him that it didn’t click until much later.

“Ah, hello…sir,” Chan finished cautiously, wondering how the hell he ended up in this situation and what would happen next. “Uh, good night tonight, eh?”

Well if he didn’t sound like an idiot before he sure sounded like one now.

Seokjin raised an eyebrow and seemed to be apprising Chan with a sharp-eyed gaze. Honestly, it reminded Chan of Raven. “You aren’t Yoon Yongmi, are you?”

“No sir, my name is Bang Chan,” Chan replied, rubbing his neck. “I tried to tell you that earlier…” He flinched as Seokjin narrowed his eyes slightly; it felt like he was being scrutinized by someone who could decide whether he lived or died. Well, since this really was Kim Seokjin, maybe it wasn’t too far off; the model and designer was pretty powerful.

Seokjin scoffed and ran a hand through his sleek black hair, elegantly long fingers carding through the silky strands. “You did pretty well for being pulled off the street. Do you have any bartending experience?”

Chan shook his head. “No, not really. But I follow directions well and I’m a fast learner. It was actually pretty fun and your customers are very interesting.” There were quite a few customers that had lingered, just to chat with Chan about idle things and not wanting to upset them, Chan had obliged.

“I was receiving so many compliments about my handsome bartender,” Seokjin started, folding his arms, eying Chan. “The one who made them feel so welcome and safe. Like you walked out of a movie, listening to their woes and helping them out.”

Chan blinked and appeared sheepish. “I didn’t want to make them angry and it seemed all they wanted was someone to listen to… I’m sorry?”

“ _Hm_ ,” Seokjin hummed, seemingly unimpressed with the answer. “Bang Chan, was it?”

“Yes sir.”

“Wherever you’re working, quit.”

“S-Sorry, sir?”

Seokjin eyed him. “I said, wherever you’re working, quit. From now on, you’re working here as my bartender. You’ll have one day off a week, but you’ll mainly be working from lunch to close.” He snapped his fingers. “Come with me, I’ll draw up the paperwork.”

Chan carefully set the last washed glass on the drying rack, quietly wiping his hands on a cloth and bowed respectfully. “Coming!” There was no way that he was about to look a gift horse in the mouth; not when he was desperate for a better way to pay his bills - and more importantly, repay Hoseok for his generosity. “Thank you for the opportunity, sir.”

“I can’t promise that this will be permanent, but for the foreseeable future, you’ve got a job here,” Seokjin was saying as he led Chan upstairs to his office.

“That’s more than I’ve had before,” Chan admitted, sitting down when offered a seat. “This is the… strangest way I’ve gotten a job, I’ll be honest.”

Seokjin laughed as he pulled out a standard contract, one that had been made from a template and slid it over to Chan once he’d filled in the young man’s name. “Please read it over. It’s fairly standard, but rule number one is never blindly sign anything. Even someone as handsome and stalwart as me could still pull something over on you.” Chan blinked at the odd ‘admission’ if he could even call it that, numbly sliding the contract over to himself. Seokjin talked animatedly, hands moving, half moon earring jingling. He must have been staring as Seokjin raised an eyebrow. “Is there something on my face?”

“—No, sorry,” Chan apologized, shaking his head as he lowered it to begin reading the boilerplate employment contract. “It’s just… I’ve never seen an earring like the one you have, sir. Is it the moon?”

Blinking, Seokjin was halted in his momentum and he fell silent for a long moment. “Ah, yes, it is. At least, I’m pretty sure it is.”

“…you’re pretty sure it is?”

Seokjin idly fiddled with the earring. “Ah, sorry. Of course it’s a moon.” He seemed distracted now, as his thoughts pulled away from the contract.

Chan offered a small smile. “It looks beautiful.” He glanced back down at the contract, reading it over, letting his mind focus solely on the paperwork. Even as he read over the boilerplate language of the contract, his brain kept nagging at Seokjin’s earring. He’d seen it before, now that he thought about it.

Not that it mattered, really; it wasn’t any of his business. He was probably overthinking it. It had been a crazy day, and he was starting to feel the drain. “Any questions?” Seokjin asked, resting his chin on his right palm.

“No, it looks pretty standard like you said,” Chan replied. He glanced up at Seokjin, brows furrowing as he fell into thought. Seokjin was affable, kind, but also determined and ambitious; there wasn’t anything coming off him that gave Chan any sort of red flags. His emotions were steady, and most importantly, they were genuine. “I’m in, for as long as you’ll have me.” The young Black Cat picked up the blue pen and awkwardly scratched out a signature and dated it. Quietly, Chan flipped the contract and wrote down his banking information.

Seokjin blinked. “You have that memorized?”

Chan blinked back as he raised his head. “Yeah?”

“Not many kids your age do,” Seokjin replied, impressed.

Sheepishly, Chan rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t have a phone until recently, so all of it was by paper so I had to keep it all in my head otherwise I’d be really screwed.”

Seokjin stared at him. “No… phone? How?”

“Uh, couldn’t afford it.” Chan scratched his nose gently. “I’ve been doing odd jobs since I was 10 just to keep a roof over my head. Taught myself how to speak the language by ear and to read when I was working at a convenience store. — I promise I can read well enough to do the job.” While he had gotten significantly better the older he got, Chan still felt self-conscious that his Korean was shamefully inadequate.

The older man’s brows knitted together as he seemed to be piecing together that not only was Chan not telling him the whole story, that there was some fairly big pieces missing in Chan’s past. As shame started to creep up the Black Cat’s spine, Seokjin leaned forward and placed a hand over Chan’s. “There’s no shame in that,” Seokjin said finally, his voice gentle. “If you want some extra practice with your writing or your speech, let me know.”

“I…I couldn’t impose on you like that,” Chan stammered, shaking his head. “You’re already taking such a risk in hiring me anyway, I’m…” He lowered his head and sighed, looking up at Seokjin. “I’m a Black Cat.”

Seokjin blinked back at him, head slightly tilted. “So?”

Chan stared at him. “What do you mean, so? Didn’t you… don’t know about us?”

“I mean, sure,” Seokjin replied, scratching his cheek. “But are you planning on hexing me or something? Take all my money and leave me alone and destitute on the streets?”

“What?! No!”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Chan felt his head spin; Seokjin was, in the scant few hours of knowing him, the antithesis of what he’d know the world to be: kind, welcoming, and uncaring that he was a Black Cat, only that he could do his job and do it properly. He was even offering to help Chan with his abysmal Korean. “No…No problem,” he choked out, swallowing tightly. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Seokjin raised an eyebrow. “It’s basic kindness, I’m not a saint,” he said gently. “Besides, if you really must know, you intrigue me Bang Chan. I don’t know what it is about you, but … hmm. I get this feeling all you really need to spread your wings is someone believing in you.” He gave the younger man’s hand a pat. “I’m not offering to be your sugar daddy or anything; I’m just your boss and you’re a young man who needs a chance. You’ll do a good job, mm?”

“Y-Yes, of course.”

“Then we’re in agreement!” Seokjin slipped the contract back over to himself and gave it a once over, adding his signature and scanning it into his computer with the nearby printer. “I’ll have the floor manager call you with the schedule every week since you don’t have an email address. I’ll explain the situation to them.”

Chan chewed his lip, bowing deeply. “Thank you, Mr. Kim.”

Seokjin chuckled. “You need to give yourself some credit, Channie; you let me pull you in off the street and you managed to withstand an launch rush of a menu you didn’t know and making drinks when you barely knew an ounce from a litre. That takes a lot of skill and a lot of impressive adaptability. Well. Let’s get you started right meow.” He laughed.

Chan blinked, belatedly catching the pun and he smiled; something about Seokjin was so warm and inviting. He was elegant and intimidating at first glance, but was warm, inviting and also a bit of a dork… a good soul. “Right meow?” he asked, smiling sheepishly.

A loud cackle that pitched high into something of a squeaking laugh pealed out of Seokjin and he clapped a hand on the table. “Right _meow_ ,” he agreed. “I look forward to working with you, Channie. Take care of yourself, all right?”

“I will, thank you. Truly.” Chan bowed again and rose to his feet, bowing one more time before leaving Seokjin’s office. (Are things really turning around? I can’t believe he gave me a shot like this… well, he can still fire me if I breathe funny, but still… maybe…) Chan looked up at the high ceilings of _Moon_ as he walked through the restaurant on his way out, the interior design taking his breath away; it felt like he was walking through a celestial palace. (Maybe there are good people in the world.)

~ * ~

 _Moon_ ’s clientele was the upper crust, the elite of the elite, and Chan had a crash course in the more formal form of language when speaking to them. Fortunately, they seemed to find his way of speaking charming, and seemed more than okay with forgiving any pronunciation issues when he was so bashful and shy. The conversation also served as a bit of a buffer so he could take his time and mix their drinks, modifying them just a teensy bit to make use of his potion making expertise. He found a perfect balance between heightening the drink’s flavour and giving a little extra boost of happiness or comfort, depending on their circumstance.

His drinks became extremely popular, and Chan even found himself being invited to be the private bartender for the model and fashion designer’s personal get-togethers that were being held at either _Moon_ or his private residence in _Hannam the Hill_ , paid, of course. In his short time at _Moon_ , Chan had already more money than he’d ever had at one point in his 10 years in Seoul. He was even able to open a savings account with Seokjin’s help, meticulously setting a portion of his paycheque aside every pay period so he could make a safety net. He didn’t know how long he would be at _Moon_ , so Chan was going to aggressively save while he could.

One particular night, Seokjin was having a _Casino Royale_ type poker night with his famous friends, and had asked Chan to tend bar while they played. It had been on Chan’s one day off, so Seokjin offered him double pay for the request; there was no way that Chan was going to say no to extra pay. Thus, he then found himself at Seokjin’s penthouse suite, trying to simultaneously be competent at his job while marvelling at the famous people not ten feet away from him. They were so famous, even someone who barely watched TV like Chan knew who they were.

“We could use a sixth,” Park Seojoon mused as he shuffled the cards, his elegantly long fingers deftly bending and folding the cards in a seamless fashion. “Hey, Chan-ah, was it? How’s your poker game?”

Chan blinked as he set down a glass. “I’m passable,” he said cautiously. “Why?”

“Come and take a seat,” Park Bogum proposed, gesturing to an empty seat that was beside Seokjin.

Yang Jaehwa, an up-and-comer on the scene, scoffed softly. “If you’re all threatened by my winning streak, there’s no need to add the barkeep to the pool to save yourselves.”

Seokjin laughed. “Someone sounds anxious,” he said. “All the more reason to add Channie to the mix. Come on, come on. You can take a break from slinging drinks to play some poker.”

“I don’t have the kind of money you guys do to join the buy in,” Chan pointed out, obediently coming over and sitting down next to his boss. “Or to pay up. I just… want to make that clear.”

While Jaehwa snorted, supermodel and idol Lee Taemin smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about that,” he said, waving a ring-adorned hand. “Those rules only apply to us. Since we asked you to join in unexpectedly, just focus on taking the pot away from Jaehwa.”

“Yah!”

There was a strange amount of tension with Jaehwa there, Chan noticed, and had noticed it the previous times the young actor was in attendance at these get-togethers. Defensiveness and a darker closed-off-ness radiated off him, and Chan made it a point to always get straight to the point when speaking with him. It didn’t seem like Jaehwa was interested in small-talk, especially with a nobody like Chan, and that suited the Black Cat just fine. The others at Seokjin’s poker night were leagues ahead in terms of their politeness and eagerness to talk to Chan, which more than made up for it.

“Why don’t we make these bets a bit more interesting?” Bogum suggested idly, fingers playing with the chips in his corner. “The money and the jewellery bets are pretty standard fare but that’s a bit boring.”

(That’s _boring?_ ) Chan thought, stupefied. He supposed it made sense; these men at the table were incredibly famous, wealthy and could likely afford to support a small nation with their earnings. He wisely kept quiet, lightly tapping his fingers against the cards that he’d been dealt. While Taemin had assured him that their bets wouldn’t be applied to Chan, it was still anxiety inducing to hear that something more than the several million won bets were going to be _increased_ somehow.

Seojoon raised an eyebrow, a smile quirking at his lips. “What do you suggest?”

Bogum hummed softly, pretending to play dumb before laughing. “Each round, one of us has to put up a piece of property that we own. Something we’re not using, but that we own… that we’ve been sitting on. Has to be up to code, has to be in a good spot. No warehouses, none of that. Something _valuable_.”

Seokjin let a low whistle, looking thoughtful as he mused over the proposal. “I like it. I’m in.”

Chan watched, jaw slack, as the other five men agreed excitedly. This was so far beyond anything in his wildest imaginations, and he felt a bit faint despite the fact that he had no real stake in anything going on here other than to add another element of unpredictability. While he had no delusions about getting anywhere in this bizarrely high-stakes match with the hottest young talent in South Korea, Chan suddenly realized this was a perfect chance to further practice with his black magic. It wouldn’t be cheating; poker players read emotions and body language all the time in the professional circuit.

He shifted quietly in his seat as the next game got underway, starting off relatively normally though there was definitely a heightened sense of competition in the air now that they were above the usual threshold of liquid cash and into property. It was fascinating, jumping from player to player and glancing at how their emotions differed and how they felt similar. Chan didn’t draw attention to himself, allowing the bigger personalities to take centre stage, slipping in here and there when necessary.

As the game went on, Chan slowly got a grasp on the different players and their tendencies: Seokjin and Bogum were masters of riling up the other players, Taemin was a cunning strategist, and Seojoon played things extremely straight and almost was a masterful player in honesty. Jaehwa was easily riled up and tricked, something which shot off his temper - it was clear that he didn’t do well with things that were out of his control. Considering that it was his bar that he’d just recently purchased that was the reigning bet this round, Chan couldn’t particularly blame him.

Chan forced himself to keep silent, watching as the professional dealer that Seokjin hired revealed the cards for the turn, then the river. Jaehwa would have had his eyes bug out of his head if he wasn’t such a good actor, but his anxiousness was rising so high that it was beginning to affect Chan due to how strongly the emotion was sloughing off the up and comer. Currently, Taemin’s hand was winning, but no one was reacting; they knew that the final card, the river, would decide everything. The dealer nodded and revealed the last and fifth card

Silence.

Seokjin suddenly let out a whoop and threw his arm around Chan’s shoulders. “Channie! Congratulations!”

“W-What?” Chan snapped out of his deep thoughts, completely and utterly distracted by Jaehwa’s intensely building anxiousness and tension. “What do you mean, congratulations, Mr. Kim?”

“I told you to call me hyung,” Seokjin gently chided. “But look! You won! And now you’re the proud new owner of an empty bar.”

Chan startled, not only because of Seokjin’s statement, but because Jaehwa slammed his hand down on the table. “There’s no way that this … _him_ , is getting my bar!” he hissed. “You said that he wasn’t involved in the betting. Doesn’t that include taking the winnings?”

“I don’t see a problem with it,” Taemin said blithely, running a hand through his platinum, silvery white hair, his bracelets jingling melodically. “Seojoon? Bogum?”

Seojoon hummed thoughtfully then shook his head. “No, not at all.”

A faint smirk curled Bogum’s lips and he also shook his head. Chan felt his heart beat out of his chest when he realized that this unity was solely due to Jaehwa’s conduct throughout the night; he was being taught a lesson by his seniors and Chan was merely a vessel in which to do so. There was a strong sense rolling off each and every one of the highly talented, highly influential men around the table, and Chan realized that if it wasn’t Chan who won, someone else would have in order to show Jaehwa the error of his conduct.

He did _not_ want to get on their bad side even more now.

“I… what?” Chan squeaked out, feeling faint. “I can’t… what am I going to do with a _bar?_ ” He couldn’t afford to run one! He was just barely getting the hang of training his body to be able to eat three meals a day, never mind the way he was woefully unqualified to own property let alone run a business. Maybe it was all one big joke and Seokjin would laugh that windshield wiper laugh of his and slap Chan on the shoulder.

But as Chan looked over at his boss, Kim Seokjin merely smiled widely at him. “If you’re worried about the property taxes, don’t you worry about that.”

“I don’t know how I _couldn’t_ worry about something like that,” Chan whispered, his vision doubling. “I… I agree with Mr. Yang, I don’t think I should really accept something like that, I’m not even really supposed to be in this game…”

Taemin tsked, shaking a finger at the Black Cat. “He shouldn’t have offered it up if he wasn’t prepared to lose it,” the model pointed out. “But it would be reckless to dump that on you without warning; you are a ‘civilian’ after all. Seokjin-hyung, would you be willing to hold the property until Channie is able to take it?”

Seokjin nodded without even flinching. “Of course!” He smiled warmly at Chan, patting his shoulder gently. “When you come in tomorrow, come and see me, I’ll have the details worked out. You earned this fair and square, after all.”

Chan wasn’t sure about _that_ , but he was smart enough not to push the matter, not when he was outvoted four to one. He very pointedly did _not_ look at Jaehwa, not wanting to draw the older man’s ire. “Thank you very much for letting me play, and for being so understanding. This was … really, an eye-opening experience and I learned a lot. Thank you.” He bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the raised border of the poker table.

When he raised his head, he wasn’t surprised to see that Jaehwa was staring daggers at him, but he was surprised to see that Seojoon was holding a keychain that held a singular silver key. “Here, this is for you. Go and check out the bar; the address is engraved on the keychain,” Seojoon instructed, smiling.

Dumbfounded, he looked over at Seokjin. “Shouldn’t you hold onto this, hyung?”

“There’s no harm in you taking a look!” Seokjin said, patting him gently on the back. “I’m holding onto the property deed, but I think getting to see what you’ve won might kickstart something in you.”

“Something in me?” Chan echoed, blinking.

Seokjin gave him a wink. “I have a feeling that you’re going to go places, Channie.” He gently plucked the key from Seojoon’s hand and placed them in Chan’s. “Do you need a ride there?”

“No, no!” Chan declined politely, shaking his head and bowing shortly thereafter. “This is… more than enough. Thank you.” He rose to his feet and bowed again, smiling despite the increasingly dizzying feeling he was experiencing. Things were hurtling forward at a startling pace, and Chan was barely able to keep himself cognizant. After ensuring that it was all right for him to leave, Chan exited Seokjin’s expensive apartment complex and headed off (with cab fare from Taemin, despite Chan’s protests) to his new bar.

When he finally arrived at the address on the keychain, Chan stared up at the two storey bar that was attached to a multi-store complex that was much higher. As he looked around, Chan saw that Jaehwa’s (former) bar was in the trendy part of the city, close to all the up and coming hot spots. He had no idea if he would ever save enough money to buy the bar properly from Seokjin, but… he would be lying if he didn’t feel a strange sense of excitement.

 **Channie [1:34 a.m.]  
** Hyung, I won a bar

 **Hobi-hyung [1:40 a.m.]  
** What

 **Channie [1:41 a.m.]  
** I won a bar in a poker game

 **Hobi-hyung [1:42 a.m.]  
** No I got that  
But what

**Channie [1:42 a.m.]  
** I told you that I’m working at Moon  
as a bartender  
After Kim Seokjin thought I was a guy named Yongmi  
I’ve been doing some private bartending gigs for him  
He was playing poker with Park Seojoon, Park Bogum, Lee Taemin and Yang Jaehwa  
and then there’s me  
me  
chan  
what was I even doing there

 **Hobi-hyung [1:44 a.m.]  
** omg  
you were playing poker with famous people!!  
did they smell nice  
sorry no  
never mind  
how did you get a bar

 **Channie [1:45 a.m.]  
** I won it in the game of poker  
they started wagering property they owned  
because apparently money and jewellery was boring  
and now I’m looking at this bar I won  
Seokjin-hyung is holding onto the deed until I can afford it 

**Hobi-hyung [1:47 a.m.]  
** omg  
Channie!  
Congratulations!  
Let me know when it opens  
I’ll come and support you!

 **Channie [1:49 a.m.]  
** Thank you, hyung  
it might take a while tho

 **Hobi-hyung [1:50 a.m.]  
** I believe in you!  
Fighting!

 **Channie [1:51 a.m.]  
** Thank you, hyung!  
Have a good night

 **Hobi-hyung [1:53 a.m.]  
** You too! <3

Chan smiled as he slipped his phone back into his back pocket, fumbling for the keychain and pulling out the key. It fit perfectly in the lock and as he fought with it, managed to turn the lock and open the door. He grunted as he pushed the door open; it was clear that no one had used it in quite some time. For the first time in a while, Chan had to really square his stance and _pull_. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Gosh,” he whispered to himself, “why is that so hard to open?” he shook his head and stepped inside the darkened bar, turning on the lights.

A startled snarl snapped Chan’s attention to the centre of the bar, his eyes growing wide as his gaze fell upon a Lynx, crouched down and ready to strike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone's curious, Jaehwa's from the TaeKook part of this series (part 2 specifically) - man's been an asshole this whole series 
> 
> Things are going to pick up, now! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The surprise Chan finds inside of Jaehwa's bar turns out to be someone life-changing.

Chan’s hands flew up to a surrender position, showing the large cat that was snarling at him where his hands were and that he had nothing on him to harm the beast with. Quickly, Chan ran through what he knew of Lynxes - which admittedly, was quite limited - but he was pretty sure that they weren’t native to South Korea, which could only mean one other thing. “I’m not here to hurt you,” he said as clearly as he could. The Lynx made a confused sound, but seemed to respond to Chan’s voice. (It doesn’t understand Korean? But it knows I’m talking to it…) He cleared his throat and tried again, this time in English. “ _I’m not here to hurt you_ ,” Chan repeated. If the Lynx didn’t respond to that, Chan was out of languages he knew.

The Lynx perked up and recognition showed in its bright green eyes. It stayed low to the ground, but no longer looked ready to pounce. As it shifted on its feet, it suddenly let out a wounded yowl, collapsing onto the floor. It squirmed as it tried to get into a comfortable position, favouring its front right wrist.

Chan started, and took a step forward before the Lynx gave him a warning sound. “ _I’m not here to hurt you_ ,” Chan echoed, keeping his voice slow and firm. “ _Let me help you. You’re injured, right? Can you turn back?_ ”

There was a long pause as the Lynx seemed to be weighing its options. After a while, the Lynx hobbled off to a corner, behind the bar counter. Chan heard the telltale sounds of form shifting, and after another couple of awkward minutes, a head of blond hair popped up. Chan blinked as a young man roughly his age stood up, using his hands to brace against the counter - only to falter immediately and let out a surprisingly deep cry of pain.

“ _H-Hey!_ ” Chan exclaimed, hurrying over once he realized the boy was fully dressed - he must have stashed his clothes there. “ _Don’t move so suddenly… you hurt your wrist?_ ”

The boy started, and looked up at Chan with his big, green eyes and Chan was momentarily struck by his green eyed gaze and the starburst of freckles that splayed across his nose and cheeks. “ _I think I broke it_ ,” he replied carefully, his Australian accent thick. “ _Are you… you sound like me. Do you… are you also from Australia?_ ”

Chan stared. Never in a million years did he think that he was ever going to meet another person from his home country. The home that threw him across the ocean just so they would never have to see him or his Black Cat status ever again. “ _I was, yeah_ ,” he admitted, dumbfounded. “ _But I came here under… not the greatest circumstance. — my name is Chan. I, uh… well, I won this bar in a poker game that I wasn’t supposed to be in. What are you doing here?_ ”

“ _I’m Felix,_ ” the boy said softly, cradling his wrist and holding it out when Chan gestured for permission to look at it. “ _I was… I came here under pretty bad circumstances too. I’m… I’m a stray. My family didn’t want me. They said… a were-cat was too much trouble, too… too scary. Because of … what I am. And I don’t know… how to really control myself…_ ” He looked down at his wrist as Chan carefully felt out the sprain, flinching when the older man’s touch came too close to the most sensitive part. “ _…In that form, I mean. — was it the same for you?_ ”

“… _Yes_ ,” Chan admitted. “ _I’m a Black Cat. The town I grew up in was small, and they were superstitious. It was hard for… my dad … it was hard for him to work, to get enough to eat, and he barely wanted to feed me as it was. He blamed me for mom passing away during childbirth. The town practically paid him to ship me off to Korea._ ”

Felix’s eyes widened. “ _The same thing happened to me!_ ” He suddenly reached out with his left hand, gripping Chan’s jacket. “ _I didn’t even hurt anyone… I might have bitten a bully once but he deserved it! Who talks about skinning me alive and selling my pelt? It was fucked up!_ ” Felix’s words were coming out in a rush, and Chan had to stop the younger man from flailing his hands too much and aggravating his sprained wrist more than he already had. “ _I can’t believe they did that to more than one person_ …”

“ _I didn’t think they’d do it to someone who wasn’t cursed_ ,” Chan said softly, still holding Felix’s wrist.

“ _It sure felt like they thought I was cursed_ ,” Felix muttered, his eyes falling down to Chan’s fingers still gently curled around his wrist. “ _I didn’t ask for this, you know. — but what are_ you _doing in an abandoned bar? Are you… homeless too?_ ”

Chan shook his head. “ _I’ve been living in Seoul since I was 10, in a pretty shitty apartment. Things are finally starting to turn around, though. I tend bar at this fancy restaurant and my boss likes my drinks so much he asked me to tend bar for his private poker nights with super popular people like Park Seojoon. They started betting property, I somehow won this bar from Yang Jaehwa_.”

Felix stared at him, bright green eyes wide as saucers. “ _No way! You won this in a poker game? — wait, your dad shipped you off here when you were ten!?_ ”

“ _Yeah_ ,” Chan admitted, his voice dropping to a barely audible whisper. “ _They were really desperate to get rid of me. Black Cat and all that. — how old are you, Felix?_ ”

“ _Nineteen_ ,” Felix answered, glancing up at him. “ _I guess they waited a bit longer for me than they did for you, huh?_ ”

Chan’s yellow and blue eyes darkened slightly, but he quietly shook his head. “ _I don’t know if it’s better or worse, to be honest. We’re here, and they’re… there. But… at least we’re not alone._ ”

“ _I don’t know what to do_ ,” Felix confessed, a frown creasing his lips. “ _I’ve been squatting here since I ran away from that weird halfway house but I can’t do that forever. I mean, if you showed up out of nowhere, what about the police? I… I don’t know what I would do if I got arrested. My Korean is shit._ ”

“ _Language_ ,” Chan jokingly chided. “ _And mine’s not much better and I’ve been here for eleven years. But… we can talk about this later. Let’s get this fixed up_.”

Felix frowned. “ _Can we even go to a hospital?_ ”

“ _No_ ,” Chan confessed, shaking his head. “ _I mean, not unless… you said you were at a suspicious halfway house? I wonder if it was the same one I was at. Did they give you the paperwork to legally be here somehow already…? But even then. No, I meant at my apartment. I have a first aid kit there and a passable knowledge to at least make a halfway decent splint_. _— that is, if you trust me enough. I can understand if you don’t_.”

A surprised huff of laughter left the younger boy, and he shook his head. “ _Mate, you’re the first person I’ve met here who didn’t try and kill me. More than that, you’re… you’re just like me._ ” His voice dropped to a surprisingly deep and soft register. “ _I don’t want to be left behind again_.” Felix shook his head, the lone earring on his left ear jingling wildly. “ _I’ll take the risk_.”

Something inside of Chan broke hearing Felix’s voice crack like that, and coupled with the emotional waves radiating off him feeling so distraught, so pained, and so _scared_ , Chan found himself placing his hands on Felix’s slender, sloped shoulders. “ _I won’t leave you behind_ ,” he promised seriously. “ _Anywhere I go, you’ll come with me, Felix. We’ll stick together. No matter what happens, you’re coming too._ ”

Where was this all coming from? Why was he suddenly promising something so serious to someone he just met? Was it the link Felix had to his home country? While Chan had thought about his former home a lot, he had pretty much accepted that the only thing linking him back to Australia was his accent when he spoke English. But he knew one thing for sure, and that was he wasn’t going to leave Felix to fend for himself the way that Chan had been forced to.

“ _They… they gave me this_ ,” Felix said suddenly, as if the thought had just come to him, rummaging around in his pocket and holding out a government identification card. “ _When I heard that they were going to try and sell me, I ran away_.”

Chan frowned. Felix’s situation mirrored his own too closely for his liking. “ _So they really were trying to sell us… I can’t believe it. — okay. We have to get going, your wrist is really beginning to swell_.” Carefully, he released Felix’s hand and gestured for him to follow him. The trek back to Chan’s small apartment was surprisingly pleasant; Felix opened up to him a bit more, rambling a bit as he tried to keep his mind off the stinging pain in his wrist. Chan indulged him, talking to him about old TV shows and commercials he’d used to watch when he was little and the nostalgia seemed to be powerful enough to keep Felix’s spirits up. “ _Sorry for how… small it all is_ ,” Chan said as he opened the door to his little apartment.

Felix’s eyes widened as Chan stepped aside to let Felix in first, and he quietly looked around. Chan’s apartment was indeed small, but there was definitely something… safe about it. “ _Can I really stay here? I won’t… be in the way?_ ”

“ _I’ll sleep in my cat form, so you can have the bed_ ,” Chan offered, coming in behind him and locking up the door. “ _Ah, where did I put that first-aid kit_ …” He mumbled to himself, shuffling around the apartment and disappearing into a small side-room that was the bathroom. Soon, Chan returned with a small box, gesturing for Felix to take a seat on the bed.

“ _It’s… a really nice view_ ,” Felix found himself saying, staring out the window at the sprawling Seoul skyline as Chan carefully wrapped his sprained wrist. “ _You really live here?_ ”

Chan glanced up to ask Felix why he sounded so spellbound, unless it was because of how shitty his apartment was, when his eyes caught sight of the earring on Felix’s left ear. His dual-coloured eyes widened; it was the same as his soulmate earring that was on his right ear. Swallowing quickly and looking back down to make sure that he was wrapping the younger man’s wrist properly, Chan forced a smile. “ _I really live here_ ,” he confirmed. “ _It’s not much, but it’s mine and that’s more than I had before_.”

Felix’s bright eyed gaze shifted down to their hands. “ _It’s impressive. I don’t know what … I’m going to do now_.”

“ _Take the time to heal up first, and we can figure out what to do from there_ ,” Chan suggested, tying off the bandage tightly. “ _You’ve been through a lot, and it’s going to feel like you’re drowning for the first while._ ”

“ _…does it get better?_ ” Felix asked, his voice almost too soft to be audible.

“ _Eventually_ ,” Chan answered honestly. “ _It sucks for a while… and I’m not sure if the sting of being thrown away ever really goes away, but…_ ”

“ _At least… we’re not alone_ ,” Felix finished for him, his smile hopeful. “ _You said… you said you work at a restaurant?_ ”

Chan nodded, leaning back on his hands as he looked up at his broken ceiling fan. “ _It’s called Moon; it’s run by Kim Seokjin, a famous model and fashion designer. He thought I was his bartender that was running late and dragged me inside. I managed to hold down the fort down during a couple of rushes and he gave me a job. I know how to make potions, so I thought I’d make my own style of drinks that are like… really, really weak, positive-effect potions, and it took off. Seokjin-hyung then wanted me to tend bar during his private poker games, for extra pay_.”

Felix was listening intently, his bright eyes widening as Chan talked. “ _How’d you end up with the bar? You said you weren’t supposed to be in the game._ ”

“ _I wasn’t!_ ” Chan confirmed, laughing. “ _I realized this later, but the reason they wanted me in the game was to teach one of the other players a lesson; he was being… less than delightful. So they decided to raise the stakes of the bets, anteing up property. I didn’t know why I was there, I was terrified that I’d have to pay up with money I was never going to earn… but they said those antes only applied to them_.”

The Lynx were-cat’s eyes somehow got wider, and Chan felt less self-conscious that his reactions were normal. “ _And who bet the bar?_ ”

“ _Yang Jaehwa did_ ,” Chan explained, rubbing his neck. “ _I don’t know how I managed to win, but I did. I didn’t think I’d get to take the winnings if I wasn’t going to be paying the buy-in or anything else. But… like I was saying earlier, Mr. Yang’s hyungs were trying to teach him a lesson in humility._ ”

“ _And you got your hands on a bar!_ ” Felix exclaimed, laughing as he clapped his hands together - quickly stopping when he felt a wild spring of pain. “Ow!”

Chan’s eyes widened and he gently held Felix’s wrist in his larger hand. “ _Better watch your own hand,_ ” he gently teased. “ _And it’s not mine yet. My boss is holding onto the deed and I’m going to figure out a way to pay him properly to own it myself. Having… having a goal feels… I feel like I’ve got a direction to go in finally. — what I’m trying to say is, you have time, Felix. I’ll be there with you, so don’t feel like you have to have it all figured out right away._ ”

Felix smiled and opened his mouth to say something only to be abruptly cut off by his stomach growling about as loudly as Felix himself had when Chan first entered the empty bar. “ _…Please just kill me now_ ,” he groaned, covering his face with his free hand.

“ _Ah! I’m sorry!_ ” Chan apologized, standing up quickly. “ _I didn’t even offer you anything to eat! Hang tight, okay? I’ll make something quick_. — _I’m not the best cook, but I won’t poison you. I promise._ ”

“ _What a high bar to clear_ ,” Felix joked with a laugh, watching as Chan quickly vaulted off the bed and over to his small kitchenette. He cradled his wrist to his chest, curiously peering around Chan’s larger frame to watch the older man work. He heard the sound of eggs being cracked into a bowl, and the sound of the stove being turned on. The younger were-cat’s eyes widened and he bit his lip, trying his hardest to keep himself quiet.

Chan paused and glanced over at him. “ _What’s with you?_ ” Felix shook his head, fighting hard against the grin that was threatening to split his lips. “ _Spit it out_.”

“ _You can’t whisk for shit, can you, mate?_ ” Felix asked suddenly, his grin wide.

There was a long stretch of silence before realization struck and Chan turned, waving the whisk at Felix, strings of egg hitting the younger man in the face. “ _Yah! So what if I’m not a world famous whisker? I’m just making eggs!_ ”

“ _Come on, let me show you_ ,” Felix said, coming over beside the older were-cat. “ _Shit, I didn’t think this through. Okay._ ” Felix shifted and with his bandaged hand, moved it in a circle, tight and quick. “ _Do it like this_.”

Chan’s brows furrowed and he watched Felix’s hand, and after a long moment, decided to give it a try. Felix seemed to know what he was talking about, and there didn’t seem to be any sort of hidden intent camouflaged in the younger were-cat’s words. “ _Like this?_ ”

Felix nodded, green eyes intently watching the eggs and giving an affirmative sound. “ _Yeah, like that! It’ll give it a lot of air so the eggs will be really nice and fluffy. Oh! Got some garlic powder and pepper? That’ll really make ‘em pop._ ”

Unable to help it, Chan laughed. “ _No, but maybe someday I will and we can try this again. Just regular salt and pepper because I’m fairly basic._ ”

“ _I don’t think you’re basic_ ,” Felix said softly.

Chan winked at him. “ _The sheen will fade comically fast, so I’ll take that compliment while I can. All right… let’s move this to the stove… watch this magic, Felix!_ ” He had no idea why he was being this silly, putting on a thicker than normal accent, but as soon as he heard Felix’s loud peal of laughter at his antics, he knew why.

Felix’s laugh was like the sun piercing through black clouds after a thunderstorm.

As they sat on Chan’s flimsy mattress, using the only two plates that Chan owned filled with hastily made eggs that had some onions and leftover meat mixed in, Chan was surprised to feel lighter than he had in years. Felix, once he’d had some food in him, seemed to shine brighter in the dim light of Chan’s apartment, excitedly and simultaneously asking him if they could buy some ingredients some day so he could make brownies _because Felix insisted he made the best brownies_ , and Chan couldn’t help the smile that was on his lips.

Soon enough, however, the young were-cat began to ran out of steam and Chan could see the tell-tale signs of the emotional and physical toll the day (and previous days) had taken on Felix. While they weren’t the same size and Chan didn’t have that many clothes (he was working on expanding his wardrobe now that he could afford to eat, okay), the Black Cat was able to find something that fit Felix well enough to sleep in.

“ _You sure it’s okay if I take the bed?_ ” Felix asked, looking guilty.

Chan nodded and stretched a bit. “ _You need to properly rest that wrist. I can sleep like this, easy peasy._ ” He winked despite himself, and to quickly escape his embarrassment, Chan shifted to his Black Cat form, the charm on his tail jingling as he flicked it.

“Ah!” Felix exclaimed, scooping Chan up. “ _You look so cute!_ ” he cooed, nuzzling Chan’s little wet nose with his own. A surprised sound came from the Black Cat and he squirmed out of Felix’s hold, landing soundly on his feet on the bed. He huffed, tapping the bed with a paw, then pointing his paw at Felix. The Lynx were-cat laughed and had the grace to look sheepish. “ _I know, I know, bedtime_.” When he got close enough, however, Felix made a move to snatch Chan up again, only to collapse on the bed, giggling. “ _Sorry, sorry!_ ”

Chan huffed, sitting down and watching with his dual coloured eyes as Felix got himself comfortable, being mindful of his wrapped wrist. Once satisfied, Chan stretched out a bit more, flicking his tail charm a little bit before curling in a small ball by Felix’s feet. As silence settled in over the two young were-cats, Chan stayed awake until he could hear the younger man’s breathing settle into quiet breaths, a sign he was asleep. Now that he was alone with his thoughts, the silence deafening and no longer being broken by Felix’s shining laugh, Chan felt a little sick.

Felix had the other half of his soulmate earring. There was no denying it; he remembered Raven’s words - there was no way that no one who wasn’t his soulmate would have the same type of earring, and definitely not with the same charm or engravings. Pulling his tail over so he could see it, Chan stared at the blood red broken heart, dangling from a white gold band. Felix was 19, scared and snatched away from the only home he’d ever known. The last thing he needed was Chan bringing up something as vague as ‘soulmates’ that would sound like a prison sentence than something romantic. He was a Black Cat, after all.

Worse yet, it’d be taking advantage of him in a vulnerable time. He’d probably think he had to stay with Chan in order to stay in the apartment and Chan _did not want that_. Anxiously, Chan glanced up at Felix, who was still dead asleep, hoping that his thoughts weren’t too strong that they somehow affected the younger man. Chan remembered when he’d pushed his feelings into a bully named Aiden when he was little. After training with Raven, he realized that he could affect other’s moods, literally, rather than figuratively.

He couldn’t even fathom doing that to Felix, and he’d only known the other boy a couple of hours at the most. But what would happen when the days turned into months, if they turned into years? He had to be careful starting _now_.

~ * ~

Felix woke up groggy and feeling disoriented. Intense throbbing in his right wrist brought him back down to reality: he was in Seoul, South Korea, after being snatched up in the middle of the night by his own family and shoved on a plane. The flight, though a few months ago, was clearly imprinted in his mind as a horrid experience; the pilot feigned deafness as Felix screamed at him from the passenger area, banging his fists on the door that separated them from each other. He’d been dragged from the airport to something described as a ‘halfway house’ but seemed more like a cattle farm for were-cats. He’d spent most of his time there shacked up with several young men and women he didn’t know, and try as he might to try and get to know them, they weren’t interested. They were only interested in getting out.

In a way, Felix couldn’t blame them; why bother to get to know someone when the only thing on anybody’s mind was to get out? The only reason he stuck around was to get the identification that had ensured he had a spot in the country. He’d figure out the rest as soon as he was out of there.

At least, that’s what he’d thought.

Not even a week into being on the run as a stray, Felix had sprained his wrist during his escape from stealing day-old bread that a bakery near the abandoned bar he was squatting in was throwing out. He’d shifted to his Lynx form to have _some_ sort of defence and for the most part, it worked … or at least, it helped him feel a bit more safe than he had otherwise; no one showed up to the bar and Felix was just starting to figure out a way to self-amputate his wrist (it was too late to save it, he’d tried everything) when the door had unlocked itself…

… and in came a strange man clad in black.

Felix remembered panicking, getting up on all fours and giving a warning growl. It was dangerous, staying in this form too long - Felix was always afraid of “getting stuck” somehow - but now he was so glad that he stayed in that form. He let out another warning sound as the man jumped. He hoped it said ‘stay the fuck away!’. Lynxes were scary, weren’t they??

The man quickly said something in Korean, and Felix remembered being confused; he didn’t know any Korean, and the man seemed to realize that. Quickly, the man repeated himself in English, and Felix’s eyes widened; he sounded like him! Maybe their accents were a little different, but the man was definitely from Australia. He watched the man carefully, shifting on his feet and immediately crumpling. The man looked startled, and Felix felt stupid. Well there went any sort of intimidation points he’d built up.

Something in him made him want to trust the man, maybe it was the desperation, maybe it was the day old bread, but Felix decided to take the leap. He had shuffled behind the bar to change back, making sure to quickly change and get himself in order. The man introduced himself as Chan, and Felix almost wanted to cry in relief. There was someone else like him! Someone … who was also thrown away, someone that had been thrown on a plane and shunted off to what was a were-cat trafficking ring.

Right … Felix opened his eyes again, looking around the shoebox apartment he found himself in. Quickly, he sat up and looked down at his feet, frowning as the little black cat that was sleeping there wasn’t there. In Chan’s place was a handwritten note, a simple flip phone and a small bottle of Advil. Awkwardly, Felix picked up the note with his left hand, wincing as his right wrist continued to throb; right, that’s what the Advil must have been for.

_Felix,_

_I hope you slept well. Sorry I couldn’t be there when you woke up, but I got called into work; there’s a private function for some bigwig and Seokjin-hyung wants me to help make a good impression. Didn’t think I’d ever hear that._

_I left my cellphone with you. If you need to get a hold of me, call the number under ‘Moon’ and ask for me. I told Seokjin-hyung and my manager that you might call if anything happens._

_There’s food in the fridge and if you feel up to it, the area’s pretty safe to take a walk in. But, I understand if you want to stay inside and rest. I’ve got some books, including the ‘beginner’s Korean’ Seokjin-hyung got for me. They’re really helpful._

_Take two Advil after you eat. :)_

_I’ll see you in the evening._

  * _Bang Chan_



A smile came to Felix’s lips. He didn’t know why people thought Black Cats were bad luck or evil; Chan didn’t seem to have a bad bone in his body. In all honesty, Felix thought he was a dork. A good dork! He went out of his way to help Felix, even talking to him about old Australian commercials and children’s TV shows they watched as children, the candies at the convenience stores, just unbridled nostalgia. At first, Felix felt guilty; it was clear that Chan didn’t have good memories of their home country, and for some reason, Felix wanted to fix that. Maybe those things they talked about could have a good connotation… maybe?

What was he doing? He’d only known Chan for a day, and literally every thing about the situation he found himself in screamed stranger danger. But being out on his own clearly wasn’t working out and there was just something… _comforting_ about being around Chan. Someone who went through the same thing, who had been here so much longer than Felix, when he was so much younger, it was … such a relief.

Carefully, Felix pushed himself out of bed and picked up his old clothing from the day before, hurrying to the little bathroom and taking the first shower he’d had in _weeks_. The pressure was garbage and the water was mostly cold, but a shower was a shower and Felix felt incredible one he’d cleaned himself up and gotten redressed - somehow not managing to further injure himself again in the process. As he looked at himself in Chan’s surprisingly clean mirror, Felix was surprised to see that he looked fairly human and not like the trash can fire that he felt like.

When he’d gotten up, Felix had had a plan. He really, truly did. He was going to go out there, find a job, maybe even figure out how to open a bank account or something, but instead… he found himself curled up on Chan’s bed as the full force of what happened to him hit him. He curled up into a tight ball on the thin mattress, digging his nails into his arms. For once, Felix could stop running and think, and as he dry heaved through his tears, he wondered if he should’ve kept moving.

When the tears at last refused to fall, Felix raised his stiff left hand and touched his face with trembling fingers. Awkwardly, he pushed himself up to a sitting position and looked at the old digital clock that sat on Chan’s bedside table. It was almost evening and he hadn’t done anything all day but cry. Frustrated with himself, Felix pushed himself up and grabbed the cellphone and note, shoving it into his pocket.

(I can’t stay in here forever!) he thought to himself, belatedly remembering to grab the spare key Chan left - it was beside the bottle of Advil - before he left the apartment. He fought with the lock for a few minutes before it actually locked, having to actually use his right hand to make sure the lock turned properly. (Okay… I can do this. I have a good sense of direction, I can… get accustomed to my surroundings, and… not be so fucking useless…)

The early evening air was brisk, and Felix felt a sudden rush of relief at being able to breathe. Something about being _outside_ , with _somewhere to return to_ , felt so freeing and he put a hand up to his mouth to stop himself from bursting out into tears again. He gripped Chan’s phone as he walked, trying to simultaneously take in the dizzying Seoul sights as well as memorize his path back. Regret creeped into Felix’s gut as he realized that his time today would have been better spent cracking open one of Chan’s Korean language books than it had been to cry like a child. But if he didn’t at least try and process it, would it really have been better?

Now he was going in circles.

Felix stopped short and sighed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his right hand. (I just realized I didn’t take the Advil… I’m a mess.) He raised his head and looked around, realizing he was in the entertainment district, being assailed on all sides by barkers trying to get him to come into one of their clubs. (Ah, maybe I should turn back?)

A pair of hands suddenly clamped down on his shoulders and Felix reflexively screamed in surprise. When he raised his head to look at his assailant, he found a pair of golden orange eyes staring back at him, framed by a sunrise like gradient of pale blond to dark golden brown. The man was speaking to him urgently in Korean and it was all Felix could do to stare back at him, confused.

“ _I… I don’t speak Korean_ ,” he said in English, startled by the intensity of the man’s gaze.

Recognition dawned in the young man’s face and he pulled back - he was quite a bit taller than Felix - and he appeared apologetic. “ _Sorry,_ ” he apologized. “ _But, I’m…_ ” He paused, as if searching for the right words, “ _I need help. Can you… come in, and just look pretty?_ ”

Felix’s brows furrowed. “ _Look pretty?_ ”

The man nodded. “ _I’m… Hyunjin. I’m a host. I host pretty women, customers. I need someone else… to sit, just to sit. I’ll … do talking. OK?_ ”

“ _Just… sit there?_ ” Felix asked, and the man - Hyunjin - nodded quickly. “ _Not for free. Do I… can I get paid?_ ”

Hyunjin laughed and nodded. “ _Of course, pay! Come, come. You need… new clothes, makeup. Come on!_ ” Without waiting for Felix to respond, Hyunjin pulled the shorter boy inside what Felix realized was really a Host Bar - a place where handsome young men had their company paid for by women (and men) and many fancy drinks and meals were ordered. Felix remembered reading a manga about it at some point, but this seemed so different. “ _Put this on, okay?_ ”

Felix blinked, finding himself holding a suit. “ _Will it fit?_ ”

“ _Of course! I have a good eye for this_ ,” Hyunjin said confidently. “ _Go change!_ ” He pushed Felix towards a change room, and tapped his foot impatiently as he waited. Though he felt self-conscious, Felix soon emerged from the change room dressed in a dark purple hued suit that looked as if he was made to fit it. “ _Ah, perfect! Perfect!_ ” Hyunjin exclaimed, shepherding Felix to a make-up chair. “ _Purple makes green pop!_ ”

Felix looked up at the older man. “ _Purple makes green pop? Oh! You mean my eyes?_ ”

“ _Yes, your pretty eyes!_ ” Hyunjin cooed, tapping Felix’s cheek. “ _Your freckles… they’re cute too. Okay. Hold still_.” His slender fingers were fast as he picked up several brushes and other items from the make-up counter, instructing Felix as he went as to whether to move his head up, close his eyes, etc.

“ _Um_ ,” Felix started, glancing behind his shoulder and up towards Hyunjin as the host showed him off in front of a mirror. “ _What… am I supposed to do?_ ”

Hyunjin guided him out from the backroom and onto the floor, straight to a fancy booth. “ _I will talk to the customer. You … sit there and look pretty. Customer… she paid for two hosts, but we are… someone is sick. Is… it’s okay - you don’t need to talk, promise_. _Thank you! Thank you so much… uh… oh. Sorry. Name?_ ”

“Felix,” the young were-cat responded, looking around the fancy main floor of the club with wide eyes. It felt like he’d been transported to the upper echelon of Seoul, and he felt supremely underdressed despite the expensive suit he was wearing. “ _Oh_ , _sorry… they gave me a Korean name… Yongbok_.”

Hyunjin’s eyes lit up. “ _Perfect! Ok. Here she is. Follow my lead_.” He rose to his feet as the customer approached - a beautiful woman who Felix was pretty sure had to be some kind of model or princess - and he bowed, trying to mimic as much as he could of Hyunjin’s posture and composure.

If someone asked Felix what happened in the appointment with the customer, he would be very confident in answering that he had no idea. Hyunjin and the customer were in a deep, very flirty conversation and occasionally, drinks and snacks for all three of them would arrive. Hyunjin was definitely the main attraction, and although Felix had no idea what he was saying, it was clear that the young man was flattering the hell out of his customer if her blush was anything to go by. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad… easy way to make some money and help his situation.

“ _Yongbok, can you help Miss. Soomin with her English?_ ” Hyunjin asked suddenly. Felix turned to him, startled, and out of reflex, nodded.

Soomin, their customer, blushed demurely and bit her tinted bottom lip. “ _Is … nice to meet you, Mr. Yongbok._ ”

Felix smiled; she was cute. “ _It is nice to meet you too, Miss. Soomin_ ,” he said slowly and clearly, making sure to tone down his accent. “ _Your dress is very pretty. The colour is beautiful on you_.”

A pretty basic compliment, but it seemed that his honesty won her over and Soomin blushed. “ _Thank… Thanks you_.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” he gently corrected, smiling brightly at her when she looked embarrassed. “ _It’s okay. It sounds lovely when you say it_.”

Hyunjin grinned and carefully interjected here and there, acting as a bilingual facilitator between Felix and Soomin. Soon the hour was up, and Soomin trailed her fingers down Hyunjin’s arm, saying something that Felix couldn’t understand but he assumed it was asking for another appointment another night. If it was inappropriate, Hyunjin didn’t say anything and was the picture of professionalism as he escorted his customer to the front desk. When he returned, Hyunjin flopped down next to Felix and grinned at him. “ _You did great!_ ”

“ _You did all the work_ ,” Felix admitted, but he felt a surge of pride at having made it. “ _Is… is that it?_ ”

Hyunjin looked down at the tablet on the table, where he’d inputted their drink and food orders. “ _No, four more, all doubles. — are you … leave? Do you want to… leave?_ ”

Felix looked down at the tablet, confused by all the symbols but could easily enough figure out that the numbers indicated the appointment blocks. “ _I can help_ ,” he said carefully. “ _But… let me call my friend. I’m staying with him right now_.” At Hyunjin’s eager approval, Felix took out Chan’s cellphone and dialled the number under ‘Moon’ _._ “ _E-Excuse me… my name is Felix. Can I talk to Chan… — Bang Chan — really quickly? Or can you pass a message to him? Oh… okay. Um, thank you. Can you tell him I’ll be back home after midnight? I’m helping a friend_. — _Thank you_.” He closed the phone and bit his lip; he hoped it was enough. He didn’t want to leave the poor receptionist with a lengthy explanation of how he suddenly got roped into being a host.

A few minutes later, however, the phone began to ring. Confused, Felix answered it. “ _Felix!_ ” came Chan’s voice, and Felix felt his heart jump into his throat. “ _I got your message! Did you say you were helping a friend? Did you find someone you know?_ ”

“ _Not … quite. I was just… walking around and this guy said he needed help. He’s a host, his name is Hyunjin. He said he needed someone to just sit and be pretty_ ,” Felix explained, scratching his cheek. “ _He said I’d get paid for it and I want to help out… so his last appointment ends at midnight, so I’ll be back after that._ ”

“ _Oh! Wow, you and I really just get pulled into jobs don’t we?_ ” Chan laughed, clear as bell in Felix’s ear. It made the Lynx feel… happy. “ _This might be your audition!_ ”

“ _I don’t think I’m going to be a host_ ,” Felix laughed sheepishly. “ _But it’ll be good to earn some money while I’m here. — oh. I need to go. Another customer is coming. I’ll call you when I’m done!_ ”

“ _Good luck, Felix!_ ”

A smile came to Felix’s lips as he closed the flip phone, tucking it into his suit jacket pocket. Hyunjin was watching him carefully, but didn’t say anything except to give Felix a head’s up when their customer arrived. The rest of the appointments for the remainder of the evening went by in a blur, with Felix even picking up a few phrases in Korean to surprise and delight his guests. He spoke a lot deeper with those phrases, delighting Hyunjin’s female customers.

As the two young men were animatedly talking about a shared anime they’d both seen, the manager of the Host Bar appeared. Felix watched confused as Hyunjin quickly got to his feet, explaining the situation to the manager, whose expression barely changed. It was then Felix realized that his decision to help out and get paid might not happen. The two men spoke in fast and complicated Korean, a far cry from the simplistic conversation that he was having with Hyunjin’s customers.

“ _Do you want a job here? Hyunjin speaks highly of you_ ,” the manager said, speaking fluent English. “ _We can use another host. But… you’ll have to work on your Korean. Our customers can be international, but for the most part they don’t speak English_.”

Felix’s eyes widened and he nodded vigorously. “ _Yes! I’ll work hard on my Korean._ ”

“ _Good,_ ” The manager said, nodding back. “ _I can get things ready for you in a couple days. Can you come back at the end of the week?_ ” At Felix’s nod, the manager smiled. “ _Good. I look forward to working with you, Lee Yongbok._ ”

Felix bowed deeply. “ _Thank you!_ ” He looked at Hyunjin and smiled. “Thank you,” he said in Korean, bowing again. “I… _I really owe you_.”

Hyunjin quickly shook his head. “ _No, no! I owe you! You saved me_. _Let’s be even_.” He smiled. “ _Keep the suit! You’ll need it_.”

“ _Ah, really? Thank you!_ ” Felix bowed again and said his goodbyes after he called Chan, making sure to take the Manager’s business card and his clothing as he exited the Host Bar. (Oh, it’s called _Star Shine?_ ) He smiled and slipped the card into his pocket, holding the paper bag with his casual clothing in it close to his chest. As he opened the double doors of _Club Four Shine_ , Felix stopped short as he saw Chan, still dressed in his work clothes, leaning up against a nearby lamp post. “ _Chan! I got the job!_ ”

Chan’s face lit up and Felix felt his own get warmer. “ _Really? Felix, that’s great! I’ll help you set up a bank account. It’s actually really easy but if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s really confusing. Come on, let’s go get something to celebrate. How do you feel about bingsu? It’s like… a shaved ice cream treat_.”

Felix smiled. “ _That sounds great_.” Chan smiled brightly and slung an arm around Felix’s slender shoulders.

It didn’t matter what came his way; he wasn’t alone now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hi to Hyunjin and Felix everyone!
> 
> What kind of were-cat do you think Hyunjin is? :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan and Felix get used to each other, and come up with a plan to buy the bar from Seokjin. As Chan soft-opens with "Chan's Room", one customer in particular helps him realize just how important his bar could be.

One of the benefits of both Chan and Felix not having to get to work until later in the day was that they could spend a good portion of the morning and early afternoon studying Korean. It went a lot more smoothly when one had a study partner, particularly with the verbal components. Felix stumbled badly at first, but once Chan explained a little trick using a children’s rhyming game he picked up, things started to fall into place.

“You’re getting better than me!” Chan exclaimed one night, flopping back on the mattress with a loud sigh. “The student has surpassed the master.”

“You said yourself you weren’t a master,” Felix replied, laughing as he smacked Chan’s thigh. “But you’re getting really good too. You don’t slur your words together as much.”

Chan laughed and pushed himself up on his elbows. “How is it at the Host Bar? Are you getting the hang of it?”

Felix nodded, crossing his legs as he ran a hand through his fluffy blond hair. “It’s just talking with customers, kind of like … you’re roleplaying with them? Hyunjin-hyung plays the ‘cool prince’ type of role, the female customers go nuts for it. I’m talking to them almost entirely in Korean now!” He beamed, proud.

“That’s awesome, Lix,” Chan congratulated, smiling. “What type do you play?” Appearing sheepish, Felix shook his head. “No, come on! You have to tell me. Otherwise, I’m going to book you for an appointment and find out.” He turned onto his side, poking Felix in his and garnering a loud squeak of surprise as a reward.

Huffing as he swatted the older were-cat’s hand away, Felix shuffled backwards on the bed. “I don’t really have a defined _type-role_ yet,” he explained, turning red. “But I’ve been sort of playing the little brother role to Hyunjin-hyung… either being cute and sweet or using my deeper voice to subvert the trope. They like both.”

Chan hummed in acknowledgement, pushing himself upright. “You’re the _Felix_ type,” he said with a grin, poking Felix’s cheek gently. He looked over at the kitchenette’s counter, where a distressingly large number of cosmetics were located. “Do they make you cover up your freckles, Lix? The concealer’s mine but the foundation’s new.”

“Um, yeah,” Felix said, rubbing his neck. “The Manager says that the freckles make me look _too_ young and some of the customers don’t like it… I mean, I get it… it’s a looks-first business.”

Chan’s brows furrowed. “Your freckles are nice, Lix. I like them.” He caught himself seconds after he said it, but it was true; Felix’s freckles were _him_ , with unique little clusters, delicately dotting his cheeks and the slender bridge of his nose. “Those customers are just being really superficial.”

Felix gave him a small smile, grateful but rueful. “I mean, they’re paying for a fantasy. It’s fine. Hyunjin-hyung really sells them too when we have appointments together. I don’t think my freckles have had cheerleaders before.” He laughed, rubbing his neck. “But… Channie-hyung. Between the two of us, do you think we can buy that bar from Mr. Kim?”

The Black Cat blinked, surprised. “I… yeah, I think so. But Lix, you really want to go in with me on that? It’s a lot of money and you should be saving what you’re making.”

“I am,” Felix insisted, nodding. “But I also want to do this. I’m not going to let you do this alone. Just like you told me, I’m gonna do the same for you. We’re in this together, Channie-hyung.”

“Felix…” Chan whispered, his heart clenching. “If you’re sure…”

“I am,” Felix confirmed.

Chan nodded, pushing himself off the bed, tugging open a bedside drawer and pulling out a notebook. “This is my business plan for the bar,” he explained, flipping the book open. “Seokjin-hyung told me that one of the conditions of getting the deed to the bar was to figure out a plan and give him an outline of what it would be doing. He wants to see that I have a plan. Here’s the amount he wants for the deed.”

Curiously, Felix leaned over, eyes bright as he looked over the flowchart for Chan’s ideas. “The big problem is staff, isn’t it?” he murmured, turning the book over to look at it right side up. “To make use of the kitchen and the bar you’ll need more than just you, and more than just me.”

The Black Cat nodded. “Exactly. I need to have a big reserve just for staff and supply costs. Right now, both of us have full time jobs… when I buy the bar, I’m probably going to quit working at _Moon_ so I’ve gotta have it down to the cent what I’m doing.” He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “We’d have to open at a reduced capacity at first.”

“It’d be just you at first full time and I’ll help out when I can,” Felix said softly, nodding. “What could you do with just you and the staff in the back?”

“That’s where I’m stuck,” Chan sighed, flopping back on the bed. “What am I even good at? Mixing drinks with liquor I can’t afford, making potions… my black magic specialty is emotion based black magic…”

Felix blinked. “What does that mean?”

Chan started, and looked over at the Lynx. “Ah, specifically for me I’m sensitive to others’ emotions, I can pinpoint pretty accurately why they’re feeling a certain way and I can … well, there’s no good way to say it, but I can influence emotions. If I’ve got a real good handle on someone, I can also read their mind.” He shook his head. “In the wrong hands, abilities like that… it could be bad. I promised my mentor that I would use it to help others.”

“You’ve mentioned your mentor before,” Felix murmured, idly playing with the edge of one of the lined pages in the notebook, “was she nice?”

As random memories came back, Chan smiled and nodded. “She was very serious, but she had a wicked sense of humour. She held Hoseok-hyung and I to a really high standard, but it was because she knew we could reach it. She was supportive, but really cryptic. I think… she didn’t want to give us all the answers, she knew we had to find them for ourselves.”

_The Light of your Soulmate will pierce the darkness that has shrouded you for so long._

Chan shook his head slightly; now wasn’t the time to be thinking about that. Despite himself, however, he glanced up at Felix, watching as the Lynx were-cat picked up the notebook to read it more carefully, bright green eyes scanning the pages. He found himself watching as Felix’s brows bunched together, his nose scrunching up as he tried to read Chan’s handwriting; it was cute.

(No.)

(Stop it, Chan.)

“You could do a modified hosting,” Felix suggested. “You’ve said that the customers at _Moon_ chat with you about their problems and stuff, right? Maybe you could do … it’s not therapy, but maybe one-on-one chats at the bar while you make the drinks? Something away from everybody else and your undivided attention?”

Chan blinked. “Do you think that would work?”

Felix tilted his head, his soulmate earring chiming melodically. “It could… it sounds like your customers like to talk to you. You make it so easy, hyung. You don’t ever judge anybody, you listen like you’re their best friend. I think… I think people might pay for that. It’s a … it’s scary out there; having someone to listen to you, even if they’re paid to, it might help. B-Besides, you’ve got a boyfriend vibe to you, I think people will like that.”

“Felix, that’s — wait, did you say _boyfriend_ vibes?” Chan wondered if he’d been hearing things, but the blush on Felix’s cheeks said otherwise.

It was subtle, but Chan could see Felix’s fingers grip the notebook, pulling it up so his face was hidden. “It sounds like your customers at _Moon_ are in love with you, that’s all,” Felix explained hastily, plucking the pen out from the notebook’s spiral spine. “You could make that work for you. As you get more well known within those circles, you’ll get more customers. I can even send some your way from _Star Shine_.”

His soulmate liked him too.

He thought he had a boyfriend vibe.

Felix was thinking of him in boyfriend terms.

Chan mentally gave himself a shake. No. Things were … the balance was too delicate, even a few months in, and they were still so dependent on each other that adding that wrinkle… Chan couldn’t bring himself to upset the precarious tight walk they were on. Forcing a smile - it wasn’t actually that hard, it was difficult _not_ to smile when he was around Felix - Chan pulled up his sleeves and plucked the book out of Felix’s hands to take a look at what he’d written.

“This is pretty good, Lix,” Chan said, reviewing the free-flow though process that Felix had jotted down, transferring it into a chart on a fresh page.

Felix smiled shyly, pulling a pillow up to bury his face in. “Before… before everything happened, I was studying this kind of stuff in school,” he admitted. “Marketing stuff. Not like I was some kind of whiz, but I guess I remember a lot more than I thought.” He laughed, green eyes peeking out from over the pillow’s edge and fixated on Chan’s magical glyph tattoos on his toned forearms as they flexed from the movement.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Chan said with a smile, glancing up with his dual coloured eyes from condensing the new information into an easier to read chart, “you’re really smart, Lix. Determined, too. You’re already pretty fluent in Korean and you’re shooting up the ranks at _Star Shine_ , yeah?”

Embarrassed, Felix hid his face in the pillow. “I’m not going to get up to Hyunjin-hyung’s level any time soon, but people are starting to ask for me by name now!”

Chan smiled. “Brick by brick, piece by piece, that’s how you build something,” he said, nodding sagely as he continued to fill out the chart, adding in detailed information in surprisingly neat handwriting in the margins. His eyes flicked up from the notebook, watching Felix carefully. “You’re really sure about putting your money into this, Lix? It’s… a lot of money and a big risk. If you don’t want to, don’t feel that you have to.”

Stubbornly, Felix shook his head. “No, I want to.” He held up a hand when Chan started to protest, and shook his head again. “You won’t change my mind. I won’t leave you high and dry, so … just trust me, okay?”

Surprise rippled through the Black Cat, and he slowly nodded. Felix was right; he had to trust him like Felix was trusting him. “Okay,” Chan acquiesced, smiling faintly. “No complaining if this goes tits up, all right?”

“I will only complain a little,” Felix promised with a roguish grin. He clenched his right hand into a fist - his sprain luckily long gone by this point - and held it in front of Chan. At the Black Cat’s confused look, Felix’s grin widened. “Hands in. We’re all in, right? Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!”

Chan blinked a few more times before laughing, the chant bringing back memories. “Oi! Oi! Oi!” he chanted back, pressing his fist to Felix’s. The chant was silly, something done before sporting events back in Australia that he could never go to, that he watched through the peephole of his room’s door when his father was in the living room, but it felt different when he was with Felix.

Everything felt different with Felix.

The next handful of months passed by in a blur; with their plan in place and specified down to the cent, Felix and Chan pressed their nose to the grindstone and got to work. They hunkered down, modifying their food budget, making extensive use of coupons and clearance deals at the grocery store and any leftovers they could take from their respective workplaces. Chan knew he’d keep the memory of the late morning breakfasts with Felix close to his heart, sharing crazy stories from the night before while eating experimental dishes from _Moon_ or pieces of snacks from _Star Shine_.

~ * ~

As ready as Chan thought he was to make the plunge, all his courage fell out of him the moment he was in Seokjin’s office with his and Felix’s plan for what he was tentatively calling _Chan’s Room_. Included in his plan were contacts he’d made during his time at _Moon_ for the food, for the liquor, and how it would projected to grow - roughly; he and Felix were basically pulling the projections out of their asses but they tried to be as realistic as possible.

Seokjin wasn’t making it easy on Chan’s heart, silently reading through the notebook with sharp eyes and a blank expression on his face. He kept flipping back and forth between several pages, particularly between the pages Chan knew contained the chart and the growth flow chart from _Chan’s Room_ to the Host Bar [name undetermined]. Finally, Seokjin set the notebook down and clasped his hands together, interlacing his fingers as he looked up at Chan, who had been sitting ramrod still in his chair. Sitting in-between them was a cheque, the first one that Chan had ever cut, with the money for the deed combined from his and Felix’s earnings.

“What made you decide on a Host Bar?” Seokjin asked, his voice even and soft.

(Okay, you’ve prepared for this, Chan,) Chan thought to himself, and he nodded firmly. “I realized that with my abilities, and what I’ve been doing here at _Moon_ with my customers, I can help a lot more people this way. I’m not a licensed therapist or anything, but I can give people a different experience than they’d get at a traditional Host Bar. I think… with the way the world is right now, I think everybody can use an objective ear. It would be a philosophy that would carry on with the expansion into a full host bar.”

Seokjin hummed softly in acknowledgement, long fingers drumming against the notebook. “And you believe you can do this? The Host Bar market is pretty saturated; your friend Mr. Lee works at the biggest club in town right now and they’ve got a strangle hold on the top spot.”

“I’m not interested in directly competing with _Star Shine_ ,” Chan explained, shaking his head slightly. “This is something different. I won’t prey on vulnerable men and women, this is going to be a safe space for them to come and have fun, to talk to the hosts, to me, and escape for an hour or two.”

“And if it fails?”

“Then it fails,” Chan replied firmly. “But I won’t give up when it gets tough. I haven’t before, and I won’t now.”

His heart was beating out of his chest as Seokjin looked down at the cheque between them, then back at Chan. Seokjin picked up the cheque and suddenly turned, causing Chan to flinch, wondering if he was about to send the cheque into the nearby shredder. Instead, he heard beeping as Seokjin opened a hidden safe, and when he turned around, saw that his boss was now holding the deed to the bar as well as the key.

“Then these are yours.” Seokjin smiled as he set both the deed (in a protective folder) and the key down on the desk, in front of Chan who felt like he was about to faint. “I take it that this is going to be the end of your employment here?”

Chan gave him a small smile. “Yes, although as I stated in the proposal, I am available for a… severely reduced schedule while I’m getting things off the ground.” In putting the business plan together, Chan realized he couldn’t _not_ have a job while getting the bar open; it would be stupid and short-sighted to put _all_ his eggs in one basket. He bowed deeply. “Thank you, Seokjin-hyung, truly. This has been… I’ve really learned a lot.”

Seokjin gave him a crooked smile. “You’re not out of the woods yet, Channie. I look forward to seeing what you do with Jaehwa’s bar.”

“Me too,” Chan admitted with a laugh as he reverently picked up the deed, running his fingers over the clear plastic. “Now the real work begins.”

“Good luck, Channie! You’re going to need it,” Seokjin said with a little laugh.

“Tell me about it!” Chan said, rising to his feet as he slipped the deed into his messenger bag and the key into his pocket. “Thank you again for this, please let me know when you need me for the bar. I owe you a lot.”

Seokjin grinned. “Maybe one day I could be a host for you.”

Chan laughed. “I don’t think I could afford your rate.”

~ * ~

“Channie-hyung! Come on, open the door already!” Felix urged, hanging off of Chan’s arm and not realizing just how much he was the reason that Chan was fumbling with the key. The bar had been cleaned up and stocked, ready for Chan’s first night and first set of customers. The patrons from _Moon_ had been excited to hear that Chan was offering one-on-one time, without the difficulties of getting a reservation at Seokjin’s restaurant.

Felix was pressed so tightly against him, maneuvering so that he was nestled so snugly under Chan’s arm and against his side that Chan felt like he was about to faint. Or do something stupid like lean down and press a kiss to the part in Felix’s fluffy blond hair. Swallowing tightly, Chan corrected his grip on the key and opened the doors, pushing them open. “Here we go,” he whispered, breath caught in his throat.

“Oh, wow! Mate!! Are you seeing this?!” Felix exclaimed, rushing into the bar and pulling Chan in behind him with a surprising amount of strength. “It looks completely different!”

“Well, the lights are on and the trash has been taken out,” Chan kidded, breathless from the feeling of Felix’s hand in his. “But you’re right, it looks amazing. They curtained off the restaurant and they even made the bar area more intimate.”

Felix grinned. “So, give me a sample appointment, Channie-hyung!” He released Chan long enough to hurry over to the bar, which had been rearranged to have a nicer stool for the customer, looking more like a set piece than an actual bar. Felix jumped onto the stool, and sat nice and straight, hands on his lap. “Come on!”

Chan smiled ruefully and made sure the door was locked before walking over, sliding the key back into his jacket pocket. “I can’t serve you alcohol,” Chan pointed out as he got behind the bar, resting his hands on the counter. “You’re still a minor here.”

“I _know_ ,” Felix huffed. “My clients love to point that out all the time. They think it’s cute.”

“It _is_ cute,” Chan teased. “But luckily for you, I can make a good drink even without alcohol.” He moved his messenger bag off his shoulder and onto the bar counter, pulling out a component pouch. “Hmm… what would Mr. Lee like to drink tonight?”

“Alcohol,” Felix pointed out, laughing when Chan swatted at him. “Hit me with your best shot, Mr. Bang.”

He’d been doing that here and there, Chan noticed, using his old name once he’d learned it. Chan admitted he didn’t hate the name as he used to, but it was just easier to go by Bang Chan now; he’d spent 10 years getting used to it after all. It didn’t sound nearly as bad coming out of Felix, and Chan had grown accustomed to hearing it from him. “A big Bang, then?” he joked, quickly waving his hand. “Never mind, you didn’t hear that — _you didn’t hear that_ ,” Chan insisted as Felix threw his head back as a crackle of laughter escaped him. When Felix’s laughter didn’t cease, Chan groaned and sunk down to the point that he could rest his forehead against the edge of the bar countertop. “We never mention this again…”

“I’m going to mention this _all the time_ ,” Felix promised, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“ _I’m making your drink now_ ,” Chan interrupted hastily in English, slamming a glass down with more force than was perhaps necessary. “And you’re going to drink the whole thing without saying _anything_ about what just happened.”

Felix’s laughter turned into a burst of giggles, and he pressed his forehead down onto his folded arms against the bar’s countertop, his whole body shaking. “I promise!” he said, muffled. Eventually, he raised his head and looked up at Chan, who was finishing up mixing a bright pink drink with a nice little garnish. “Oh! What’s this?”

“I like to call this one _Haven_ ,” Chan said with a warm smile, pushing the slender glass towards Felix. “Usually I add Blue Curacao to make it a bright purple, but the taste is pretty much the same. I added in some - safe, I promise - potion ingredients to make it feel… hmm… how would I describe it? Safe. Warm.”

Curiously, Felix picked up the slender glass and took a sniff, his green eyes widening at the scent. “Oh, mate, it smells amazing. I feel like I should be paying you top dollar for something like this.”

Chan laughed. “It’s on the house for the part-owner. — Go on, I want to see how you like it.”

Eagerly, the Lynx were-cat tipped the drink into his mouth, his eyes somehow widening further upon the taste hitting his tastebuds. “Channie-hyung! This is _amazing_. I … oh my gosh. I just… I want this injected into my veins,” he gushed, torn between gulping down the whole thing or taking smaller sips to savour it. Felix eventually settled on the latter, taking almost kittenish licks and Chan had to look away briefly to collect himself.

“So you wanted a practice appointment, huh?” Chan asked, finally steeling his composure. Teasing, he tossed his hand towel over his shoulder and leaned forward, resting his forearms on the counter. “Or was it all just a ploy for me to give you a drink?”

Felix smiled sheepishly at him. “The latter,” he admitted, giving the Black Cat a wink. “How’s the website looking?”

“It crashed a couple times after it launched because the traffic was so high,” Chan said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Seokjin-hyung’s friend that helped me build it was shocked. He was expecting that kind of traffic in a couple of months, maybe inside a year, but not right away. He had to do some extra work to make sure that the appointment system could handle all the requests. I’m kind of booked up for the next while.”

Felix gave a low whistle, absently fiddling with the umbrella that Chan had jokingly tossed into the drink. “I told you that you would have a lot of interested customers,” he said, shaking the umbrella at Chan.

“Yes, yes, you did,” Chan admitted, smiling warmly. He looked around at the bar, feeling excitement bubble in his chest. “Let’s just hope that I can keep it up long enough to transform this place into a Host Bar.”

The Lynx were-cat grinned and finished the rest of his drink. “Channie-hyung, you really underestimate how much you make people want to talk to you.”

“Does that include you?” Chan asked before he could fully stop himself. He flinched as soon as the words were out of his mouth; that was insanely inappropriate and he kicked himself internally, fully ready to apologize the second he met Felix’s eyes.

“Yeah,” Felix admitted, never giving Chan the chance to rescind the words. He raised his head to meet Chan’s eyes and gave him a shy smile. “It does.”

~ * ~

 _Chan’s Room_ became very well known in the circles of _Moon’s_ clientele very quickly, to the point that Chan was certain that his regulars from the restaurant were telling their friends about him. It was the only way to explain why Kim Taehyung, world famous supermodel and current face for Gucci, was sitting across from him, looking like someone socked him in the gut. The supermodel had been morosely staring at his finely manicured nails, alternating fiddling with his _Van Cleef and Arpels_ rings and his _Cartier Juste un Clou_ bracelet.

“I know you’re not a therapist,” Taehyung started, raising his hazel eyes to look at Chan. “But I heard… I heard from Jin-hyung that you… you might be the person that I could talk to. To help make sense of… what I’m feeling.”

Slowly, Chan nodded. It was a common starting sentence; he’d heard it from a lot of his regulars, and he’d figured out the right way to approach such appointments. He wasn’t licensed as a therapist and was very clear that he was unqualified to help with more serious issues, but most of the time, the people that came to see him just wanted a conversation free of judgment, someone objective who just could nudge them along and talk free of the fear of reprisal or sounding stupid. Chan was happy to be that person for them.

“You know Seokjin-hyung?” Chan asked, prompting Taehyung to nod slightly. “Did he tell you about how I came to work at _Moon_?”

Taehyung shook his head. “No… he just said that you were one of his favourite bartenders and he’s always thinking about whether or not to torpedo your solo venture so you’d have to come back.” He gave a weak smile. “He says he’s joking.”

Chan blinked before laughing. “That sounds like him,” the Black Cat said as he shook his head ruefully. “Seokjin-hyung thought I was some guy who was supposed to show up, to be his new bartender for the new drink menu. Pulled me in right off the street and told me to start slinging drinks and we’d talk about punishment later. Didn’t even hear me when I told him my name wasn’t Yoon.”

There was a beat of silence before Taehyung laughed, his face lighting up. “That sounds like Jin-hyung!” His posture relaxed slightly and he shifted in his seat. “Did you really win this place in a poker game with hyung?”

“I did,” Chan confirmed. “Playing with people way out of my league. I won it from an actor named Yang Jaehwa.”

At that, Taehyung’s face darkened and Chan had a momentary sense of panic; it was clear that Taehyung knew Jaehwa…. knew him intimately. Suddenly, the conflicting emotions emanating from the older man made sense. “Oh… that explains it. He’s been complaining about someone who took his bar and that his hyungs were being ridiculous in giving it to some ‘nobody’…” He looked up suddenly, eyes wide. “I don’t think you’re a nobody!”

A small smile creased Chan’s lips. “I kind of am,” he said, shaking his head. “And don’t worry; you can say what you like here. I won’t say anything to anyone.

“…what was he like? At the poker game?” Taehyung asked quietly, watching as Chan plucked a couple of bottles from the liquor shelf behind him. “Jaehwa, I mean…”

Chan hummed slightly, knowing he had to choose his words carefully. “He seemed tense. I could understand it, we were playing poker with Lee Taemin, Park Seojoon, Park Bogum… Kim Seokjin! That’s a pretty elite circle. I know I was really nervous.”

Taehyung nodded slowly. “He’s been… trying to crack that social circle for a long time,” he explained, hazel eyes distracted by Chan’s mixing of the drink, and carefully took the glass with a bow when Chan slid it over. “That poker game was a big deal.” He glanced up at Chan after taking a sip of the drink. “He said… they were conspiring against him, to make sure he lost. Was that… that doesn’t sound like Jin-hyung. — n-not that I don’t disbelieve Jaehwa…”

The Black Cat’s brows furrowed; the anxiousness and self-doubt was radiating off of Taehyung, and all of it had to do with Jaehwa. Chan could sense an underlying confidence in Taehyung, one that took the older man to the heights he achieved as a model, but it was buried deep. “It’s okay,” Chan said softly, offering a comforting smile. “I believe you.”

Those three words seemed to spark something in Taehyung, and the model’s entire posture and presence changed. “Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything,” Chan replied affably. “I’ll try and answer as best I can.”

Nodding, Taehyung took another sip from his drink and gently rapped his rings against the clear glass, almost making a makeshift melody from the sounds. “Were they… Jin-hyung and the others… were they trying to teach Jaehwa a lesson?” Chan’s surprise must have shown on his face as Taehyung gave him a wry smile. “I had a feeling.”

“I don’t… I don’t want to presume,” Chan stammered, struggling to catch himself. “What it is… what it was that Seokjin-hyung and the others were trying to do.”

Taehyung was watching him closely now. “What did you feel it was?”

The way the supermodel phrased his question gave the Black Cat pause; Taehyung was a hell of a lot sharper than people gave him credit for. “Are you asking what the mood was like?”

“Mm.”

(Yeah, he definitely knows more than he’s letting on,) Chan thought to himself. “It felt like they were trying to get something across to him,” Chan said finally. “I can’t presume to know why, but they were all unified in deciding to approach it the way they did. I think… they were trying to teach him a lesson in humility, that’s the sense I got.”

Taehyung fell silent, taking a couple long sips of his drink as he mulled the Black Cat’s answer over. Chan stayed silent himself, keeping an eye on him; the drink he prepared was one to help with clarity of one’s thoughts, to create a sense of calm and steadiness. “You must think I’m stupid for staying with him,” he said softly, hazel eyes downcast.

“I don’t,” Chan replied simply, shaking his head.

“You’d be right to,” Taehyung whispered, gripping the glass. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it before… why it took hearing that his hyungs were trying to teach him a lesson… before I realized that … I shouldn’t take it from him.”

Chan waited a beat before he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the counter. “It’s hard to see things when it concerns yourself,” he started, “it’s easier to see it from the outside, when it’s about someone else. When it’s you, you…” Chan paused, searching for the right words. “You forgive a lot, because you believe so much harder in your choices. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s good… it’s good to also look inside and see… that maybe those choices weren’t the best. But you’ve seen that now. That’s good.”

Taehyung huffed out a little laugh, taking another sip from his drink. “Isn’t that the truth,” he muttered, tapping his fingernails against the glass. “…Jin-hyung was right; you’re a really good listener. I feel like I could spill all my secrets to you.”

“You’re always welcome to come back here,” Chan said gently. “But I understand if you don’t, if it’ll create … issues.”

“Mm…” Taehyung murmured, nodding slightly. “He won’t be pleased to hear I’m frequenting the bar he lost… but on the other hand, he’s not happy about anything I do, so what’s one more thing?” Blithely, Taehyung downed the rest of the drink and fished out his wallet. “I think our time’s about up, ne, Channie?”

Chan gave the supermodel a small smile. “Just about. But you’re my last customer of the night, so if you want to hang around a bit longer, I don’t mind.”

Taehyung shook his head slightly as Chan populated the bill, affixing it to a nice faux-leather bifold and sliding it over to the model. “I might be back again,” he said, smiling as he slid a credit card between the lips of the bifold, sliding it back to Chan. “This was nice.”

“I’m relieved to hear you don’t regret making the appointment,” Chan said with a smile, finishing off the rest of the transaction and handing over Taehyung’s copy of the receipt. He bowed deeply, his earrings jingling softly. “Thank you for coming to _Chan’s Room_ ; I hope to see you again.”

Taehyung smiled as he took the receipt, slipping it into his wallet and returning his wallet to its spot in his back pocket. “Thank you for having me.”

“Have a great evening and I hope things… I hope whatever choice you make, that it leads to your happiness,” Chan said, smiling back.

Surprise coloured Taehyung’s handsome features, and a genuine, boxy smile broke out on his lips. “Thank you. — Have a good night yourself.” He bowed slightly and left, the tension leaving his broad shouldered frame.

As Chan watched the supermodel leave the Bar, he picked up the emptied glass and put it in the sink with a smile on his lips. If there was anything he learned from his blossoming career as a sort-of host, it was that Felix was right: sometimes, people just need someone to listen, to validate their concerns, their thoughts, their fears. He didn’t need to solve their problems, but he could listen.

~ * ~

Following Kim Taehyung’s appointment, _Chan’s Room_ was highly in demand. So much so that Chan was leaning more and more on Felix’s help when the Lynx were-cat was able to pitch in. He was worried that _Star Shine_ was going to find out that their rising star host was working at another bar, even if it was one he co-owned, and that Felix would feel the repercussions, but he desperately needed the help. The appointments were coming in so frequently that he had to even cut back on his already sparse scheduling at _Moon_.

Knowing he couldn’t rely on Felix’s spare time for much longer, Chan decided to ask his regulars if they knew of anyone who wanted to work at _Chan’s Room_. Not much came from it, but he had to ask. He also asked Felix if he could feel out if anybody from _Star Shine_ was looking for work, or if the hosts there knew of anybody who would like a job. He even listed his phone number on the website for anybody who would like to call him personally with an inquiry.

It was difficult, trying to juggle a rapidly growing business with his lack of experience in running one, but Chan was nothing if not determined. The hours spent at _Chan’s Room_ were getting longer and longer, and he was seeing Felix less and less, but Chan knew… he knew that if he stuck to it, if he persevered, he’d - they’d - survive.

There was a series of loud, steady knocks on the door one night while Chan closed up, Felix snoozing on one of the booth’s couches. Confused as it was well after business hours, Chan pushed himself up from where he was reconciling the books, straightening out his clothes. He quietly walked towards the front doors, opening the left one after unlatching the locks.

A young man, roughly about Chan’s age, maybe a year or two younger, stood in front of him, dressed in black and covered in tattoos. The young man glanced up, vibrant purple eyes bright in the moonlight. A silver lip ring stayed snug on the left side of his bottom lip, an almost burned up cigarette dangling in his mouth.

“Can I … help you?” Chan asked slowly. “Business hours are over.”

“I heard you need a host,” the young man said, plucking the cigarette out of his mouth. “Name’s San.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send your hugs to Tae (don't worry, things get better for him!)
> 
> Also, hey, it's San! Now we're getting somewhere. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan meets Choi San, a former host at one of Star Shine's former competitors. As "Chan's Room" popularity grows and success starts to build, Chan soon finds out that not all the eyes that land on you are good.

Chan blinked as he looked at the slender young man in front of him, a collection of noir and gothic inspired tattoos covering his lithe frame. A nearly burned out cigarette dangled from his lips, finally plucked out by slender fingers and tossed aside into a nearby trashcan. “I heard you need a host,” he said, sliding his hands into the pockets of his well-worn leather jacket. “Name’s San. I used to work at _Aphrodite_ before _Star Shine_ put them out of business.”

“I’m Bang Chan. — And you didn’t want to work at _Star Shine_?” Chan asked, baffled, as he stepped back to let the younger man in.

San shrugged slightly as he stepped in, glancing around the bar. “They wanted me to,” he admitted, vibrant purple eyes sharp eyes taking in his surroundings. “But I didn’t like how they ran things.”

“How they… ran things?” Chan asked carefully, leading San over to one of the empty booths, away from where Felix was sleeping. He waited until San sat first before doing so himself, watching the young man curiously.

Absently, San tongued at his lip ring, taking his time to get comfortable before answering. “Nothing illegal,” he said after a while. “But they treat their hosts like shit; kind of like how you hear the big idol companies treating their artists like expendable cattle, it’s like that. I heard a lot of talk about how they cut the hosts down to size if they start feeling too confident in their skills; helps keep them from going to a better club.” San shook his head, the white-gold earring on his right ear jingling softly. “Owner’s into some shady shit, but it’s all rumours; nobody can prove anything.”

Chan felt his heart drop to his stomach, remembering Felix’s off-hand comments about how the club’s manager kept telling him to hide his freckles, to hide his accent, how they’d tell Hyunjin who already looked like a model that he needed to lose weight and tone up, to increase the amount of makeup that they’d have to wear… “I can see why you wouldn’t want to work there,” he said finally. “What makes you want to work here?”

“I wanted to see what a Host Bar run by a Black Cat would be like,” San replied simply, violet hued gaze piercing as he pushed up his sleeves.

Chan’s blood ran cold. “How did you…?”

A small smirk curled San’s lips and he idly fiddled with an unlit cigarette. He reached up and tucked his longish black hair behind his ears, revealing a white-gold earring with one half of a heart charm. “I’ve never met another one before,” San admitted. “Been meandering around usin’ trial and error to find my way. I heard whispers that a Black Cat named Chan was running a small host bar, thought I’d come and check it out.”

“You’ve never — but you have magical glyph tattoos,” Chan said, having caught sight of one when San adjusted his sleeves. “Who did them if not another Black Cat?”

San blinked. “I did them. Did some research, found some tutorials buried in the empty spaces of YouTube — why, who did yours?”

Chan blinked back at him. “I was mentored by a Black Cat named Raven… she did them. — can I see yours? Is that okay?”

“Yeah, sure.” San pushed up his right sleeve, showing Chan the glyph on his forearm. “They could probably be better, but it’s been working well so far. I’m better at casting hexes, anyway and these do the job.”

Carefully, Chan traced his fingers along the glyph, remembering Hoseok’s spirited explanation back when they were students under Raven’s roof. “This is really well done,” he said, impressed. “Your instincts are really good.” He paused, and chuckled. “And you know that.” Gently, Chan released San’s arm and sat back. “You specialize in hexes?”

San nodded. “Trial and error on that too but I can do just about anything if I have an item from the person and a picture. Hexes aren’t really good things by nature so I kind of just, help out people who’ve been wronged. Kind of like Robin Hood, but I’m more handsome.”

Not expecting the admission, Chan suddenly laughed and rubbed his neck. San’s confidence was off the charts on a surface level, but Chan could sense that it was mostly an act. “Of course,” he said, a little chuckle escaping him. “That’s still… really impressive. My magic is emotion based. I can read them fairly accurately and … hm. I wanted to use my abilities for good, so that’s why I opened the bar. Right now it’s just me and Felix helps out when he can but … we’re getting too busy and I don’t want him to get in trouble with _Star Shine_ for working here.”

The younger Black Cat raised an eyebrow and plucked his cigarette from his mouth. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem until you become more popular than _Star Shine_ , then the owner’s probably gonna try and stamp you out.” He glanced over at Felix, who was asleep in one of the booths. “He also…?”

Chan shook his head. “He’s a Lynx were-cat.”

San’s eyebrows raised. “Don’t think I’ve ever met a big cat were-cat before. I don’t think I can give the customers what you give them, but I can give them a more traditional host experience. I assume your goal isn’t to drain their finances dry with drink and food orders.”

Vehemently, Chan shook his head. “No, not at all. Of course, we’re a business and food and drink are a big part of the revenue, but that’s not the focus. I want to make sure the focus is on ensuring our customers have a safe space to talk, have fun, and escape for a couple hours from the world outside. It sounds naive, I know, but…”

“It sounds nice.”

Surprised, Chan looked up and saw that San was completely genuine. “You don’t think it’s naive?”

San smiled faintly, leaning back languidly. “It is, but that’s not a bad thing. I think people are looking for something naive and fairy tale like these days. Just having someone to talk to is nice. That you’re handsome doesn’t hurt.” He threaded the unlit cigarette between his tattooed fingers as he spoke. “It’s definitely a different approach to hosting, but… heh. You’re going to need a lot of help; good thing I’m here.”

“Hey, hey, you don’t have the job yet,” Chan protested, though both he and San knew how hard up Chan really was for help. “How long did you work at _Aphrodite_? Could you… I’ve never worked at a Host Bar before, so I’m …”

“Yeah, I can help out with the host specific parts of the Bar,” San affably agreed, tucking the unlit cigarette behind his ear. “I wasn’t like assistant manager or anything but I know how everything’s set up.”

“That’s more than me,” Chan admitted. “San, was it? Thank you. You can start ASAP; I can get the paperwork ready for you tomorrow evening around 5:30 p.m. if that’s okay.” _Chan’s Room_ opened at 6 p.m. that day, and he figured a half hour in between his appointment that day and opening wouldn’t be too bad to get San started.

San nodded as they exchanged numbers. “Choi San. And that’s perfect. Thanks for giving me a chance, Mr. Bang Chan.”

Chan smiled. “You’re taking a chance on me too.” He held his hand out for a shake before realizing what he was doing and bowed deeply. “I look forward to working with you, San.”

“Same here,” San said, bowing back as he pushed himself to his feet. “See you tomorrow.”

“See you. I’ll text you what you should bring with you for the employment contract.” Chan nodded as he escorted San back out to the front doors, watching as the Black Cat disappeared into the night, tattooed hand raised and waving. As Chan closed up and locked the doors back up, he turned and saw that Felix was standing behind him. “Oh, jeez. You really move quietly when you want to.”

Felix grinned. He gestured with his head to the door. “Who was that?”

“Ah, that was our new host,” Chan said, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. “Choi San. He’s another Black Cat. He used to work at a Host Bar called _Aphrodite_ but they were put out of business by _Star Shine_. It’s going to be really helpful to have someone with that much experience here.”

Felix’s eyes widened and he bounced a little on his feet. “ _Aphrodite’s_ San?! I heard about him from Hyunjin-hyung! Oh, he really wants another chance to go head-to-head with San! When _Aphrodite_ and _Star Shine_ went head to head, the only host from _Aphrodite_ that got a win over _Star Shine’s_ Hosts was Choi San and he was against Hyunjin-hyung!”

Chan stared. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah!” Felix enthused, clearly more jazzed about this than the Black Cat. “Oh this is exactly what you needed for the Bar, hyung! One people hear that San’s working here, it’s really going to pick up.”

“I… you really think so? One person’s going to set off things like that?” Chan asked, too stupefied to be immediately carried away on Felix’s energy like he usually was.

Felix nodded. “The Host business is a pretty small world, hyung. A lot of _Aphrodite’s_ hosts came to work at _Star Shine_ , but San didn’t and a good chunk of _Aphrodite’s_ regulars disappeared after he did. That’s pretty solid proof he’s good.”

Chan nodded back, dumbfounded. “Yeah, that’d… that’d do it.” San’s words about how _Star Shine_ was run started to run rampant in Chan’s mind and he looked carefully at Felix. “Felix, is… are they treating you all right at _Star Shine?_ ”

Surprised by the question, something raw and unchecked passed through Felix’s eyes before he schooled his expression. “What do you mean?”

“You were saying they were being pretty hard on you and Hyunjin as of late. You two doing okay?” Chan asked, smiling gently. While Chan didn’t personally know Hyunjin, with the amount of stories that he’d heard about the host from Felix, Chan felt like he had a pretty good handle on the other host. And if Felix trusted him, Chan trusted him. “The top host… is he taking care of all of you?”

The Lynx snorted. “Park Daeho? No way. I’m beginning to think the only way he’s the top host is because the manager keeps moving our appointments to him and his reputation as the top host makes the customers feel okay about the switch.”

Chan’s brows furrowed. “Are you and Hyunjin okay?” he asked again.

“We’re fine,” Felix assured him, but his energy betrayed him. Chan was always careful not to delve too closely into the sensations he got from Felix’s emotions, but it was getting harder to the closer they got; he was even beginning to hear errant thoughts. “It’s not great but a job is a job and we’re doing what we can to help the other hosts. The lower rank are banding together.”

“That’s good at least,” Chan said, nodding. “And… no one’s given you a hard time about pitching in here? They don’t know?”

Felix shook his head. “Only Hyunjin-hyung knows, but that’s because we work so closely together it’d be impossible to hide it from him. He’s pretty happy that I’m getting in extra experience… keeps talking about how he’s gonna come here one time and see this infamous Bang Chan.”

“ _Infamous?_ ” Chan echoed, startled.

A grin came across Felix’s tinted lips, still a bit sticky from the lip gloss from work. “Channie-hyung, your name is coming up a lot in the Host circuit. And now with San working here? Mate, there’s going to be a lot more talk.”

Chan blinked and turned pink, hiding his face in his hands. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Bro, here; I’ll prove it to you.” He pulled out his own cellphone, an older model iPhone, and dialled Hyunjin. “Hyung! Sorry for calling you so late, but —”

“—Yongbokie! You said you were going to bed early tonight!” Hyunjin scolded.

Felix grinned sheepishly. “What are you doing up _yourself_ , hyung? I was telling Channie-hyung about San from _Aphrodite_ and he doesn’t believe me that San’s a really good host.”

There was a loud exclamation from the phone and Felix turned it so Chan could see that Hyunjin had initiated a FaceTime call. “What about that mangy, tatted up fur ball?!” Hyunjin seethed, golden orange eyes ablaze. Chan blinked; Hyunjin was wearing a face mask, his long hair pulled away from his eyes by a fluffy hairband. Immediately, the host pulled the face mask off and rubbed his face with a towel - wow, he really _was_ handsome, even barefaced. “We would’ve swept them 3-0 if it wasn’t for _Choi San!_ Ugh! His behaviour was so… ugh!!”

“W-Was it really that bad?” Chan asked, blinking slowly.

“Huh? Oh! Yongbokie! Is this the infamous Bang Chan? Hello! It’s nice to finally meet you! Yongbok won’t stop talking about you! I’m Hwang Hyunjin~!” In an instant, Hyunjin was happy and polite as he gave a bow. Almost as immediately, however, he switched back to his seething rage once introductions were over. “And yes! He laid it on so thick, just playing up this ‘bad boy with a heart of gold looking for his soulmate’ gimmick and everyone fell for it! Hook, line and sinker!”

Hyunjin was a force of nature, Chan realized. “That sounds bad,” he supplied helpfully.

“It _was_ ,” Hyunjin agreed, huffy. “Using that Black Cat soulmate thing like that… ugh! And he had the balls to tell me that it was all fair in love and war!”

Chan smiled sheepishly as he scratched his cheek. “Didn’t you guys run them out of business?”

Hyunjin huffed. “ _Yes_ , but… — why are you asking me about Choi, Yongbokie? No one’s seen him since _Aphrodite_ closed.”

“Well, he’s going to be working at Channie-hyung’s Bar,” Felix explained. “I was telling Channie-hyung that having San here was going to make things really pick up but he—”

“— Choi San is going to be working at _Chan’s Room?!_ ” Hyunjin exclaimed, snatching his phone up from whatever stand he had it in. “How could you do this to me, Mr. Bang Chan?!”

“I don’t even know you!” Chan protested, baffled.

Hyunjin groaned loudly and flopped back on his bed, holding his phone high above his head. “Where did it all go wrong?” he lamented. “My eternal rival, showing up again and he’ll bring all his regulars back too, I bet! Even Yongbokie’s Bang Chan has _betrayed_ me!”

Chan looked over at Felix. “Is he always like this?”

Felix smiled sheepishly. “He gets on tangents sometimes.” Turning his attention back to the video call, Felix tried a handful of times to get Hyunjin’s focus back on the conversation. “Channie-hyung needs all the help he can get; I’m getting busier at the club and he needs a second host to pick up the extra appointments. There’s no way that they’re going to bite into your appointments.”

The host huffed again but seemed to be placated. “I _suppose_ ,” he mumbled, lips curled into a pout. He pointed a finger at the screen. “But I’m coming down there to challenge him one of these nights! You tell him I’m coming, Mr. Chan!”

“Sure,” Chan said, not intending to do that at all. “We’ve got to be heading out now, but it was really nice to meet you, Hyunjin. Thank you for looking out for Felix.”

“Pleasure’s mine! Goodnight~” Hyunjin waved happily, the call cutting off once he got his goodnights from Felix.

Chan exhaled softly as the call ended, and ran a hand through his hair. “Good thing we hung back so late, eh? I’m going to be tired as hell for my appointment tomorrow, but it’s worth it.”

Felix blinked at him. “Appointment?”

“Ah, yeah, I meant to tell you earlier: I’m going to meet a friend of mine - Jung Hoseok - at his tattoo shop; it’s the first time in a long time we’ve been able to get our schedules to match up. I’ll be going from there to here so I won’t be able to see you until we close,” Chan explained, rubbing his neck.

If he thought that Felix was going to be upset that Chan didn’t tell him about his plans with Hoseok, was surprised to see that the young were-cat was excited instead. “You’re going to see your friend? That’s awesome! Say hi for me! — send me pictures!”

Chan smiled. He should have known that Felix would be supportive. “I’ll try to.”

~ * ~

He swallowed as he looked up at the tattoo shop’s sign, bright and eclectic - _MAP OF THE SEOUL_. Chan had come all this way, he couldn’t back out now; he had promised Hoseok he would come to him for his tattoos, and Hoseok had generously promised that the tattoos would be free of charge. The younger Black Cat had insisted on paying him at least for the supplies or Hoseok’s time, but his hyung wouldn’t hear anything of it; he said it was practice. Steeling his resolve, Chan exhaled sharply and pushed open the door.

“Hoseok-hyung?”

A man with mint-green hair and a sleepy expression stared back at him, draped in stylish streetwear. “No, I’m Yoongi.”

Silence stretched as Chan struggled to process the information. “…is Jung Hoseok here?” he tried again.

“Do I look like his keeper?” Yoongi replied, raising an eyebrow as he lounged against the receptionist’s counter.

“Hyung! Don’t tease poor Channie like that!” Hoseok chided, coming out from the back room, pulling off a pair of black latex gloves. “He’s probably running on like three hours of sleep; he’s got a worse sleep schedule than you and I don’t even know how that’s _possible_.”

The mint-green haired man snorted and gave Hoseok a smirk. “So this is the infamous Bang Chan?”

“Why does everyone keep saying I’m infamous?” Chan mumbled to himself, rubbing his neck. He paused, however, as he caught sight of a particular earring dangling from Yoongi’s left ear. Quickly, he looked at Hoseok with slightly widened eyes, getting a pointed _don’t say a fucking thing_ look in return. “Ah, yes,” he said instead, bowing deeply. “I’m Bang Chan. It’s nice to meet you.”

Yoongi gave a slight grunt in response but bowed back politely. “Min Yoongi. How do you know Hobi?”

Hoseok grinned. “Channie and I trained together! He’s a Black Cat too,” he explained, gesturing for Chan to come over so he could show him the stencils. “Before you ask, Yoongi-hyung’s a human. A couple of our mutual friends have asked what kind of were-cat he is and he gets salty about it.”

“Wait, really?” Chan blinked, unable to help himself.

Yoongi grunted.

Laughing, Hoseok tugged Chan over to the counter where several stencils were lined up. “So this is everything, but we’re going to work on your arms and chest first, then thighs. I also want to put this _golden wattle_ flower up here on your neck, but that can be way later; I just think it’ll look so cool. — I’ll start with the line work on both your arms today, and we’ll probably get most of it done by the time you’ve got to leave. You’re my only appointment today so we can go the full time until 5, with a couple of breaks in between. Sound good?”

Chan swallowed. “Yeah, yeah, sounds good.”

“If you ever wanna stop earlier or for longer, just say the word,” Hoseok said seriously. “It’s not as painful as when Raven-noona gave us our glyph tattoos, but it’s no walk in the park for most people either. — Okay, Channie?”

“I understand,” Chan confirmed, nodding firmly. “Oh! Let’s take a picture together. I promised Felix I would show him the Hoseok-hyung I keep talking about.”

Hoseok beamed and nodded, handing Chan’s upgraded phone to Yoongi. “Can you take the picture, Yoongi-hyung?”

“I suppose so.” Yoongi smiled, however, and took the phone, taking a couple photos and handing it back. “You ready for this marathon session, Chan-ah?”

Chan swallowed, shrugging off his black jacket and hanging it up on the coatrack, wearing a flimsy black tank top underneath. “I’m ready.”

Hoseok grinned. “I just need you to fill out this paperwork. Even though this is technically practice for me as I’m still apprenticing, I need to cover my ass. — You’ve eaten and drunk a lot of water? You’ve been staying hydrated, right? If you haven’t we can’t do this today since you might faint from the overstimulation.”

Chan shook his head. “No, no, I have. I’m good.” He took the clipboard with the waiver and health information, filing it out diligently. Once finished, Chan handed it back to Hoseok, who gave it an once over before setting it down and guiding the younger Black Cat back to his station, with Yoongi shuffling behind them.

“Okay, let’s get these placed on and get to work!” Hoseok said brightly, pulling on a new pair of latex gloves and a face mask. “Jeez, have you gotten _buffer_ since the last time I saw you, Channie?”

Embarrassed, Chan shook his head as Hoseok repeatedly squeezed one of his biceps. “I think you’re mistaken, hyung…” He swallowed as Hoseok applied the stencil, intricate lines of purple now prominently displayed on the tanned skin of his right arm. The stencil skillfully left space where his magical glyph tattoos were, and although he already knew how good Hoseok was from their time at Raven’s, he was surprised yet again. “These look incredible, hyung. You even changed them from our last conversation…”

Hoseok beamed and nodded, getting the rest of his equipment set up including unsealing new needles, and other pieces that required sterilization. There was something incredibly zen about watching someone skilled do what they do best, and Chan felt his own tension drop out of him as Hoseok deftly got everything ready. He trusted Hoseok, honestly, with his life. The time they spent at Raven’s gave him the first friend he’d ever had, and quite truthfully, the brother he never had.

The loud buzz of the needle springing to life cracked through the silence and after checking with Chan one more time, Hoseok got to work. A soft hiss escaped the younger Black Cat as the needle pressed against his skin, feeling… well, feeling exactly like someone dragging a sharp needle up his skin, against the grain. It was strange, but after a while, Chan felt calm, like he could tune out the pain. It was a constant, steady type of pain, broken up occasionally by a flick or a press, or by Hoseok’s humming.

“How’s _Chan’s Room_ going?” Hoseok asked suddenly as he carefully filled in a line. “You’ve been open for a while now, eh?”

Chan opened his eyes slowly, almost lulled to sleep by the hypnotic whirr of the needle and Hoseok’s idle humming. “Ah? Oh. Yeah! Yeah, we’ve been open for a little while now. Been real busy, actually; a lot of the regulars I had at _Moon_ followed me to the new location,” he answered, smiling shyly. “It’s gotten so busy that I’ve started to look and hire more hosts. Just hired one last night, actually.”

“Oh yeah? Who’s that? Is it your friend Felix?” Hoseok asked

“Mm-mm,” Chan said, shaking his head. “Felix is still working at _Star Shine_. This guy, he worked at a Host Bar called _Aphrodite_ , apparently their top host before _Star Shine_ ran them out of business. — Ah, hyung. He’s a Black Cat too; his name’s Choi San. He casts hexes.”

Hoseok paused, eyes wide. “Really? I don’t think I’ve ever met a Black Cat who could cast hexes! That’s pretty cool. — you said he was a top host? What made him come to your place? Are you becoming the new hot spot in town?”

Chan blushed. “No, I don’t think it’s anything like that. But… he did say that _Chan’s Room_ has been making the rumour mill in the Host Bar circuit. No, he said that he wanted to come and work at the Bar because he wanted to see how one would be run by a Black Cat. — Hyung, he did his own glyph tattoos by looking up tutorials on the internet. It’s incredible.”

“Yah, really? Wow, that’s really impressive,” Hoseok commented with a low whistle. “That’s pretty good luck, though, to get an experienced host like that. Soon you’ll have a whole battalion of handsome hosts to lure in the customers!”

Yoongi snorted. “This guy doesn’t look like he could maliciously lure anybody in even if someone had a gun to his head.”

Hoseok giggled and had mercifully paused in inking Chan as he did so. “Channie is a boy scout, that much is true,” he admitted.

“I’d be offended if it wasn’t true,” Chan mumbled sheepishly. “Hopefully, though, we continue to be successful and I can add more hosts to the roster, maybe even open up the restaurant portion of the bar. I think… I think my dream is to make _Chan’s Room_ into something… something really special; filled with good people and creating a space that people can feel safe in. Somewhere anyone can return to. Something… something I didn’t have.”

“That’s a really good mission statement, Channie,” Hoseok said warmly, returning to his work. “I think if anybody can make a Host Bar a safe space for everybody, it’s you. — how are you feeling? Wanna take a break? We’ve been going for a couple of hours now and I’m almost done your arm.”

Chan blinked. “Oh, I’m fine. We can keep going if you want to. But if you want to take a break I don’t mind.”

Yoongi shuffled over from his spot, peering at Hoseok’s handiwork. “You’ve gotten a lot steadier with your lines, Hob-ah,” he said in low-toned satoori. “Quicker, too. This used to take you twice as long to get to this point.”

Hoseok blushed, barely visible behind his black face mask, but Chan saw it and if Chan could see it, he was sure that Yoongi could see it. Mercifully, if he did see the blush on Hoseok’s cheeks, Yoongi didn’t say anything about it. “Channie’s a great canvas,” Hoseok replied, applying the finishing touches to the line work around Chan’s wrist, being mindful of the bone. “Okay, let’s take a bit of a breather and I’ll get this wiped down and wrapped up. Want some water, Channie?”

“Actually, yeah, that would be great,” Chan said, bowing gratefully. “Thank you, Hobi-hyung.” He looked over at Yoongi. “How did you and hyung meet, Mr. Min?”

Yoongi grunted. “Call me hyung.” He sucked at his teeth as he thought about the best way to answer the question. “My day job’s a photographer, but I still moonlight as a rapper. I would see Hob-ah at my shows, and after a while, I decided I wanted to talk to him, so I did.”

Chan smiled. “So you’re the reason that Hobi-hyung was coming back to the estate later and later.”

Hoseok smacked him on the leg. “Shut up!” Huffily, Hoseok wiped down Chan’s reddening skin, taking a couple of photographs with his cellphone before wrapping it with clear plastic and fastening it against Chan’s skin with paper tape.

With a smirk, Yoongi handed Chan a sealed water bottle, the label proudly displaying the tattoo shop’s signage. “He wasn’t very subtle about his intentions with me either,” Yoongi said, snickering as Hoseok kicked at him, moving out of the way with the deftness of a cat. “You really gonna be okay to have both of them done? It’s a lot, even for a veteran of getting tattoos.”

“I’m fine to continue until 5:00 p.m.,” Chan confirmed, nodding as he twisted the cap off the bottle, taking a well-needed gulp of water. “I might be pushing it with working tonight as well, but luckily I don’t need my arms for _too_ much.”

Yoongi sat back down in his seat and leaned back as Hoseok took a breather himself, cleaning up his tools and getting everything back into place. “So what exactly do you do? It doesn’t sound like it’s a normal host appointment.”

Chan nodded slightly. “It’s more like a one-on-one chat. I stand behind the bar and the customer sits on a stool in front of the bar and … we just talk. I make customized drinks for the customer, ones that help alleviate or stabilize their mood, clear their thoughts. I’m not licensed as a therapist or anything, but … that’s not the point of _Chan’s Room_ anyway. It’s … it’s like, I want to be an objective ear for whomever comes through those doors; I don’t need to solve everyone’s problems, but I can listen. Sometimes… that’s all anybody needs.”

“Shit,” Yoongi murmured, running a hand through his hair. “Man, Hob-ah wasn’t kidding when he said you could get your biggest enemy to become your best friend. You got them puppy dog eyes too, fuck.” He grumbled something under his breath. “So what’s the plan? Gonna make it just a host bar?”

“I want to make it a Restaurant/Host Bar,” Chan explained. “But that’s like … end goal. It’s going to take a while, build up the revenue, keep the momentum going. Right now it’s just me and a new host, and Felix helps out when he can. It’s all so new.”

Yoongi hummed, nodding in acknowledgment. “Got a name for it? Or are you still going to call it _Chan’s Room_?”

“Good question,” Chan admitted as his chair was turned around so Hoseok could work on his left arm. “I should change the name when the full goal is realized, yeah? I don’t know what I would change it to…oh, god. Host Bars are like a menu for the customers, right?” He laughed airily. “ _God’s Menu_? Come to _God’s Menu_ , anything on the menu will satisfy all your senses! Hosts, food? We’ve got you.”

Hoseok blinked as he got the tattoo needle ready. He shared a look with Yoongi before the two of them looked at Chan, who looked back at them, confused. “Channie, that actually sounds good,” Hoseok said, blinking owlishly. “Like, really good.”

Yoongi nodded. “Hang onto that.”

“Really? I was just joshing,” Chan replied, blinking back at them.

“It’s a really good name! Good motto too,” Hoseok confirmed, nodding quickly. “Just goofy enough that it’s catchy. Plus, all the other clubs have Greek mythology or names with love or stuff in there. Yours is really different.”

Chan looked thoughtful as Hoseok got to work on his other sleeve, and after a while, nodded. “ _God’s Menu_ it is,” he said, nodding.

Yoongi raised an eyebrow. “Are you really not in any pain? You’ve been sitting here for like six hours.”

“They don’t hurt nearly as much as my magical tattoos did,” Chan replied, scratching his cheek. “And I want as much of it done in this session because I don’t know when I’ll be able to see Hobi-hyung again. Then again… I can just make it work.”

Hoseok grinned behind his mask. “It won’t be for a little while, just to make sure everything heals up. Luckily, we’re not adding too much colour but the line work is the important foundation for everything else.”

“You’re really fast, though,” Chan said, blinking as he looked down at the intricate line work on his right arm. “Those cat-like reflexes, huh?”

“Haha, something like that.”

Conversation fell by the wayside as Hoseok finished up what he could of Chan’s left arm, running a little bit over because he couldn’t leave the sleeve alone until a final part was tightened up. Now that he’d been there a little over seven hours, Chan was beginning to feel the burn of the freshly inked tattoos, and sheepishly asked Hoseok for some mild painkillers while they scarfed down some takeout.

He let Yoongi and Hoseok guide the conversation, watching the two of them effortlessly talk about music, about art, and Chan was happy to see that Yoongi was extremely chill about Hoseok being a Black Cat. “I’m happy that Hobi-hyung has someone like you to have his back,” Chan said, swallowing down the last of his take-out. “I was worried when we parted ways after leaving Raven-noona’s.”

“Heh. Hob-ah talked so much about you I felt like I knew you before I saw you,” Yoongi said, chuckling as he finished off his drink. “You’re a good man, Chan-ah. I look forward to coming to your place once you’re a full restaurant.”

Chan smiled. “You two are more than welcome to come.” With a groan, Chan pushed himself to his feet and took a look at his plastic wrapped arms and while the feeling did come to him about looking like a blank colouring book, he loved how everything came out. When Hoseok was able to do the shading and some colouring, and later, the chest, neck and thigh tattoos… Chan might actually look cooler than he was. “Thank you again, hyung. I really owe you.”

“No way!” Hoseok protested, shaking his head. “This is on the house because you’re my guinea pig for these different techniques!” he grinned. “And … like I said. You made me face the truth when I was gonna run. I owe you everything for that.”

“I’m going to pay you for the finishing touches, at least,” Chan insisted. “No. I’m not hearing it. When everything’s done, I’m going to pay you properly.”

“Channie!” Hoseok whined, pouting. “I’m trying to be a good hyung!”

“You’re the best hyung,” Chan confirmed. “But I’m still going to pay you what you’re owed for all of this. This is like… million dollar work.”

Hoseok blushed and instead hugged Chan gently. “You’re the best,” he said and gave his old friend a gentle nuzzle. “Better hurry up before you’re late!”

“I’m already late,” Chan sighed. “But it was worth it.”

“I’ll take you,” Yoongi offered, surprising both Hoseok and Chan. “I drove here. Besides, I want all the embarrassing stories about Hobi.”

“Yoonie!”

Chan laughed. “Definitely.”

“Channie!”

~ * ~

By the time Chan reached _Chan’s Room_ , San was already waiting outside, working his way through another cigarette. He raised an eyebrow when Chan exited Yoongi’s car, saying his goodbyes and hurrying over. “Running late?” San asked curiously.

“My hyung is interning at a tattoo shop; I was getting my sleeves done,” Chan explained, fumbling for his keys and opening the doors. “I’ve got your stuff ready to go. Did you bring everything I asked you to?”

San nodded. “Yeah. – you don’t strike me as the type to get tatted up. Can I see?”

“I didn’t think I was, but I think with how out of place my magical tattoos are, they help tie everything together,” Chan replied, leading San over to his little office. He shucked off his jacket and showed San his freshly acquired ink while he searched for one of his many black button-downs to quickly pull on.

The younger Black Cat let out a low whistle as he peered at Chan’s outlines on his sleeves. “Not an inch of wasted space that wasn’t thought about,” he said, impressed. “You said your hyung did them? He’s amazing.”

Chan nodded, pulling on a shirt and buttoning it up quickly. “Hoseok-hyung is way better than he gives himself credit for. – Alright, down to business: here’s the standard contract for how things are right now. Obviously, if we get bigger or busier, it’s going to be changed accordingly.”

San hummed as he took the contract, reading it over a couple of times before easily signing and filling in all the pertinent information, handing over his identification for Chan to check. “You sure you don’t have any experience with this stuff? This is a lot cleaner than when I worked at _Aphrodite_ ,” San commented, moving an errant strand of hair out of his eyes.

“I’ve had a lot of help,” Chan admitted as he took the contract back from San, looking it over to make sure everything was on the up and up. “The training wheels are still on, so to speak. – the commission from drinks and food okay?”

San nodded. “It’s a small operation, I’m not expecting top tier pay. Besides, a job is a job and I’m here to work. Might not stay here forever, but I’ll definitely be around a while.”

Chan smiled. “I appreciate the transparency. – here’s the schedule for tonight: it’s going to be back to back to back. I’ve already advised the ones I’ve switched to you of the change and they’re more than okay with it. The picture you sent really helped.” He laughed.

The younger man smirked and leaned back in the chair. “Yeah, I figured it would. It’s a looks-first business, but longevity comes from how the customers feel at the appointment. That’s where you and I can shine, Mr. Bang.”

“You can call me hyung, if you want,” Chan said affably, smiling. “And I agree. That’s what’s going to set us apart.” He pushed himself to his feet, making sure that he was nice and put together before grinning at San. “Ready?”

“I was born ready.”

San’s first night at _Chan’s Room_ was an unmitigated success. Word had spread that _Aphrodite’s_ top host was working again, and San’s arrival crashed Chan’s website for the second time. With San’s help, Chan modified the reservation system and extended the hours of the Bar, shortening appointments so they could fit more in for both of them. At the end of an extremely successful night, Chan bid San goodnight, giving him a tight hug.

“Thank you, Sannie. Really, thank you,” he said gratefully. “This is… I think we can really do this.”

San smiled and hugged the older Were-Cat back. “I should be thanking you, this was the most fun I’ve had in a while. Go home and rest, all right? We’re going to be busting our asses for the next while and building a damn good name.”

Chan smiled back. “You too.”

When Chan made it back to the small apartment he shared with Felix, the younger were-cat was already back and changed into his comfy loungewear. “Hey,” Felix greeted, smiling. “How was…” he trailed off, staring as Chan peeled off his jacket, hanging it up and revealing his tank top and bare arms that were still wrapped up in plastic wrap. “T…Tattoos.”

Chan blinked and looked over. “What? Oh. Yeah, this is what my appointment with Hoseok-hyung was about, in addition to catching up. Thought it’d help make my magical tats stand out less. – what do you think?”

Felix’s eyes seemed to be as wide as saucers and he coughed, hiding his face behind a pillow. “Good,” he croaked. “They look… they look really good. Y-your hyung’s really talented.”

“Isn’t he? It’s going to take a while but we’re going to do some on my chest, and he wants to put one right here on my neck to make sure the glyph there isn’t sticking out like as sore thumb. Not looking forward to the thigh ones, though.”

“ _Thigh tattoos?_ ” Felix echoed, his voice reaching a higher pitch than previously thought possible as he bit down on the pillowcase.

Chan nodded, seemingly oblivious. “I have two magical tattoos here and here.” He tapped his upper thighs with a light clap of his palms. “I’m not sure what to put there, though, so those are going to be last.”

“Oh… that makes sense,” Felix said, swallowing tightly. “What’s in the bag?”

Chan smiled and lightly dumped the paper bag’s contents out on the bed. “Just some Polysporin for the healing and some non-scented soap for the shower. I can’t really … wash my arms so much as … lightly let water touch it? For a while? While it heals? I thought I was being efficient with getting this all done at once but now the healing is going to suck.”

Felix gave him a small smile. “If you need help, let me know.”

“You might have to feed me, I really overdid it,” Chan said with a heavy sigh, leaning on Felix once he flopped onto the bed.

A soft smile creased Felix’s lips. “I really have to be strict with you, don’t I? You really overdo it a lot.”

“In my defence, it sounded like a great idea at the time.”

~ * ~

In the subsequent weeks, Chan saw why San was the top host at his old club, and why Hyunjin felt such a need to prove that he was better: San was effortlessly sweet, toeing the line between just enough of a ‘bad boy’ to give his customers a thrill, and a gentle boy who just needed someone to take a chance and love him. True to Hyunjin’s rant, San made extensive use of his soulmate earring, using light touches to his customer’s ears as if ‘checking’ for their half of his earring.

“You’re going to get yourself in trouble one of these days with that,” Chan cautioned in between customers, watching as another lovesick girl left the club.

San gave a slight shrug. “She’s well aware she doesn’t have my earring,” he said. “And I don’t think I’m ever going to meet my soulmate, so what’s the problem?”

“Just… be careful, for both your sake and the customer’s,” Chan said, sighing. He looked down at the hardcopy agenda that had all of their appointments. “We’re almost at the finish line for tonight. That’s got to be a record for number of back to back appointments. We’ve been open almost the whole day and I think I still had a bunch of people on the waitlist try and jump the queue.”

Smirking, San leaned against the counter and Chan was sure he’d flick his tail if he was in his feline form. “Suffering from success, huh? We better look into getting at least two more hosts at this rate; as much fun as this is, you and me are gonna burn out quick.”

“No argument there,” Chan agreed, exhaling sharply. “This is so far beyond my wildest dreams, though, Sannie. I wanted this to work but I didn’t think that we’d be _this_ popular. And it’s steady, too! That’s inc—”

The double doors suddenly banged open and Chan jumped. Standing in the door’s threshold was a man wearing a million won suit, flanked by three young men – two of which Chan recognized as Hyunjin and Felix. The third must have been Park Daeho, which made the man at the front of the trio the owner of _Star Shine_. “Where’s Bang Chan?” the man at the front asked tersely.

“I’m Bang Chan,” the older Black Cat said, walking over cautiously. “What’s the meaning of this? We’re still seeing customers—”

The man held up a hand. “Save it. You should already know this, but for the sake of politeness, I will introduce myself: I am Kim Sungho, the owner of _Star Shine_. I can’t believe a pissant club like this has been stealing away our customers. What do you have, two hosts?” He snorted. “This won’t take long, then.”

Chan frowned, glancing over at San who seemed to have his hackles raised but wisely kept his mouth shut. “There’s no reason that both of us can’t exist in the same space,” Chan started, wondering how futile this was; the only reading he was getting off Sungho was a pure sense of superiority and the irritation of having to be here to take care of something so beneath him. There was nothing more that Sungho wanted than to crush Chan under his foot. That much was very clear. “What we offer and what you offer are two very different experiences—”

“There is only room for _one_ prominent Host Bar in Seoul,” Sungho snapped, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing with this nonsense of yours, but you’re direct competition. There’s only one way we’re going to settle who the better club is.”

Chan felt his heart leap into his throat. “You’re not suggesting what I think you are.”

“I am,” Sungho confirmed, an evil smirk on his lips. “A competition, between our two clubs. No appointments, a free-for-all to see who can pull in the most amount of revenue, overseen by a representative from the Commission. Now, seeing as how your piddly little club only has two hosts, I’m going to be gracious and offer a 3 vs 3 contest. Find a third, and I’ll advise the Commission that we’ve got ourselves an official club vs club contest.”

Chan frowned. He’d only had a scant few experiences with the Commission, a governing body that oversaw Host Bars in the city, and the feeling he got was that it was largely a rubber stamp. According to San, Sungho was the real power in the Host Bar circuit. “What would we even get out of agreeing to this?”

“—We take Hyunjin and Yongbok,” San said suddenly. “If we win, we take your profits for the night _and_ we take Hwang Hyunjin and Lee Yongbok, _plus_ , you leave us the hell alone.” He turned to Chan and looked at him steadily with his vibrant purple eyes. “That’s what we can get out of this.”

Chan stared at him. “San!”

Sungho smirked. “And when _we_ win, you shut down and you come and work for _Star Shine_ , Choi San.”

“Wait, what?” Chan looked between the two men. “What about me?”

The owner of _Star Shine_ snorted. “Oh, I have plans for you. But they’re not important right now. See if you even survive against us. I’m going to be putting my best Hosts against you, Choi, and your third, if you can even find someone. Once the word gets out that you’re facing off against _Star Shine_ , no one’s going to help you.”

Chan pulled San aside. “Are you _insane?_ We can’t agree to this!” he hissed.

“We can do this,” San insisted. “And you’re not going to have a choice, Chan-hyung. The Commission’s practically in Kim’s pocket. They’re going to push this through and with the sway they have with the business association, you’ll be fucked in more ways than one. But I _know_ we can do this, and I have someone in mind to help us. We can win this, and we can get Hyunjin and Felix out of _Star Shine_.”

Exhaling softly, Chan closed his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts. What San said made sense; he knew they were delaying the inevitable, and the deck was certainly stacked against them. But San had warned him when he started that _Star Shine_ would try and wipe them out, so he couldn’t say that he didn’t see it coming. “All right,” he said finally. “We agree. When do you want to do this?”

“Next Saturday,” Sungho said, confirming Chan’s worst fears. He smirked. “I so love hearing the dirge of another club biting the dust.”

“Don’t count us out yet,” Chan said softly, shaking his head. “We’re not as big as you, but we’re definitely not in the same league. We’ll prove to you our way is better.”

Sungho snorted. “Your funeral. Let’s go.” He snapped his fingers and turned on his heel, leaving _Chan’s Room_ with Daeho in tow. Hyunjin and Felix looked at Chan and San before sharing a quick look with each other; it was clear they wanted to stay and talk but couldn’t risk it. Not with Sungho and Daeho right there. They nodded to Chan and San before quickly leaving, the doors closing soundly behind them.

Once the doors closed, Chan groaned and sunk down into a chair. “What the hell did we just get ourselves into?”

San glanced over at him. “If you want to make changes, hyung, you gotta upset the balance. Nobody well-behaved ever made history.”

For a brief moment, Chan wondered why he was doing this, why he agreed to an insane competition against a Host Bar that had been in business for _years_ and taken out countless competitors. But as he looked up at San, who brought over a pair of beer bottles, easily twisting off the caps and sliding one over to him, all Chan could think about was Felix quietly telling him about the dark side of _Star Shine_ , how he was starting to lose confidence in himself if everyone in the upper management was telling him how shit he was.

This was for Felix. And in a way, it was for Chan. For Hyunjin, and for San. For those who were dealt a shit hand and were doing their best to survive with the hand they’d been dealt.

He swore he wouldn’t give up when it got tough … and it was about to get the toughest it had ever been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I know line work for a full sleeve takes a lot longer than seven hours, never mind for two, but work with me here  
> 2\. Hyunjin is a drama llama and I love him  
> 3\. HOST BATTLE


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan meets San's friend and their third host for the Host Bar battle that falls on his birthday.
> 
> Will this be the one birthday that goes Chan's way?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A CHONKY BOY CHAPTER LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEEEE

As soon as Chan entered the apartment after an anticlimactic end to the night after the surprise visit from Kim Sungho, he found himself with an armful of Felix. “E-Eh? Felix? Are you okay? — did Sungho do anything to you and Hyunjin when you guys got back to the club?” Felix shook his head and tightened his hold on Chan, whispering something unintelligible against the soft fabric of Chan’s shirt. “…Lix?”

“I’m sorry,” Felix whispered, fists tightening against Chan’s jacket. “It’s because of me that this is happening! You might lose the bar and it’s my fault!”

“W-What? Lix… Lix, hey. Come on, hold on… why do you think it’s you fault?” Chan asked, overwhelmed by the waterfall of guilt and hopelessness radiating off Felix. Gently, Chan rubbed the younger man’s back for a moment before hugging him warmly. “Are you talking about the Host Club Battle?”

Felix nodded, pulling back enough to wipe his eyes, puffy and red from crying. “I’m pretty sure someone ratted me out to Daeho, who snitched to Mr. Kim that I was helping out at _Chan’s Room_. That’s why he’s making me and Hyunjin-hyung join Daeho against you, San and your third host. T-This wouldn’t have happened if I was just careful!”

Chan frowned, and gave Felix a tighter hug, letting a little bit of his calming energy wash over the younger were-cat. He didn’t like to make a habit of influencing others’ emotions, but he could make an exception this time to help Felix clear his head. “Lix, that’s not your fault. I … I shouldn’t have put you in that position, but I think Kim Sungho was going to try and wipe us out anyway; San said as much when I hired him.”

Confused, Felix looked up at him. “What?”

“San said — here, let’s sit down — San said that _Star Shine_ was going to become a problem if we got really successful,” Chan explained, sitting down on the bed with Felix, never once letting go of his hand. “That they’d try and take us out. I just didn’t think it’d be this soon — and it’s definitely not because of you helping out, Lix. I promise.” Unable to help himself when his soulmate was so distraught, Chan gently wiped Felix’s tears away with careful strokes of his thumbs.

“How could it not be my fault? If I wasn’t so useless, I could’ve been more careful and you would’ve been able to grow it without him knowing for longer…” Felix mumbled, his eyes fluttering shut and leaning a bit more into Chan’s touch. “I’m sorry, Channie.”

Chan shook his head. “Hey, Lix — Oi, come on. Look at me?” he pleaded, trying to crane his head to catch Felix’s gaze. “It’s not your fault and I am extremely grateful for any time that you were able to give to the club. If anything, I should be apologizing to _you_ for putting you in such an awkward position.”

Felix mumbled something under his breath and shook his head morosely, moving into Chan’s lap, like he was desperate to make amends. “I wanted to help but I made things worse.”

“You didn’t,” Chan protested gently. “And I don’t want you to do something reckless like throw the competition. San and I have a plan, and we’re going to be fine. Even if we lose the Bar, I’m not going to give up; I’ll find another way to survive. San will too. We’ll be okay.”

The Lynx was quiet for a long moment, absently playing with a useless zipper on Chan’s jacket. Despite himself, Chan gave a gentle scratch at the nape of Felix’s neck, knowing that when he was stressed, the gesture would calm him down; he hoped it would be the same for Felix. He breathed an internal sigh of relief when he saw (and felt) Felix relax, exhaling deeply. “We tried to talk Mr. Kim out of it,” Felix said finally. “No one could understand why he wanted to stamp you guys out; you’re just two hosts and a small, half-open bar.”

Chan continued to lightly scritch Felix’s nape, smiling when Felix’s posture continued to slacken. “I think… it’s because of _who_ our clients are that he’s upset,” Chan explained softly, thinking it through himself. “Some pretty prominent, famous, and powerful people have been coming by pretty regularly and they’re not going to _Star Shine_. I think… because we’re not exclusively a traditional Host Bar, it’s something a wider group of people can come to so naturally we’d get a higher, diverse range of customers.”

Felix listened quietly, nodding in understanding. “You’re not mad at me?”

“What? Lix, no I’m not mad at you,” Chan replied, shaking his head. “This wasn’t your fault. And I want you to come at me swinging in this Host Bar Battle, yeah? I want to see how much better you’ve gotten.” He grinned, hoping the joke would land.

Confusion coloured the younger man’s face before a bright smile suddenly broke out and split his lips. “Mate, you and Sannie better be ready!” He laughed and wiped his eyes, the sound music to Chan’s ears. “But… I was really surprised to hear that Sannie suggested that if you guys won you’d get me and Hyunjin-hyung. I thought they didn’t like each other.”

The Black Cat hummed as he fell into a deep thought spiral. “I don’t think they hate each other, it’s more of a rivalry,” Chan murmured. “And… San’s a lot sweeter than he appears; he didn’t hesitate to use this competition as a way to get you and Hyunjin out of _Star Shine_. I don’t know if I would’ve thought of that as a possibility.”

“So you’re really going to do this?” Felix asked quietly.

“Mm. I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Chan replied, shaking his head. “But we’ll be okay. San and I are going to meet this friend of his. I wonder if it’s another Host… if San knows them, they’ve got to be good. — well, I hope they’re good.”

Felix watched him carefully, a small smile on his lips. “I could tell you all our secrets. Nobody would know.”

Chan laughed, and shook his head again. “No, no. We play this fair and we play this square.” He lightly tapped Felix’s nose, right on one of his favourite clusters of freckles. “And no telling Hyunjin any of our secrets.”

“I wouldn’t!” Felix protested, laughing as Chan’s ‘serious’ look looked anything but. “I wonder what kind of plan Sannie has… this is the second time he’s going to be going up against _Star Shine_. He must be feeling some kind of pressure.”

“Yeah,” Chan agreed. “He must feel some semblance of responsibility for what happened to _Aphrodite_ , even if there wasn’t anything he could’ve done except his best.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “And next Saturday? Kim Sungho did it on purpose; he knows that’s not enough time to get the word out and a cancellation like that might piss off our customers.”

Felix frowned. “Yeah, it was all on purpose. He … was so pleased with himself, that you’d lose all your customers with the sudden competition, that you’d fold because you’re not as big a club as _Star Shine_. I don’t think he realizes that your regulars are your regulars for a reason. You’ve… we’ve made a connection with all these people and they’re coming back because you treat them like people, not like cash machines.”

A warm smile curled Chan’s lips and he nodded. “Wanna order in?”

“Yeah,” Felix agreed with a smile. “I don’t think we’re going to be able to see each other a lot before the big showdown so … yeah, we should do that.” Carefully, Felix got off Chan’s lap and reached for his phone, pulling up one of their favourite take-out place’s menu. “Do you know what this Saturday is?”

“My birthday?” Chan asked, as he flopped back on the bed, sighing.

“No, it’s — wait, _your birthday is this Saturday?_ ” Felix exclaimed in disbelief. He furrowed his brows. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”

Chan blinked and slowly pushed himself up. “I didn’t even realize it until just now.” He rubbed his neck. “I dunno, I just don’t really like to celebrate it? I was born on Friday the 13th and it’s like a running joke with fate that each one of my birthdays has been horrid. I’m hoping that this year’s different and I don’t lose the Bar.” He laughed sheepishly.

Felix huffed and sat down on the bed, crossing his legs and looking put out. “That’s not enough time to get you a present.”

“You don’t need to get me anything,” Chan protested, his face heating up.

“No, I’m definitely getting you something.” Felix held up a hand. “No complaining. It’s going to be the best present ever and you’re going to love it.”

Chan smiled faintly; Felix was too good for this world. “I’m sure I’d love it, if it came from you.”

~ * ~

The next day, Chan was waiting inside of a coffee shop and doing the unenviable job of updating the website to advise that the appointments for October 13th would be postponed due to a club vs club event and that if anyone wanted an appointment, it would be on a first-come, first serve basis. He was in the midst of rewording a part of the notice when he caught a flash of black enter his peripheral vision. Slowly, Chan raised his head and blinked, seeing San and a young man with round cheeks and bright green and pale blue eyes, almost mirroring Chan’s own dark blue and bright yellow ones.

Locking his phone and rising to bow slightly, Chan offered a warm smile; the young man beside San seemed extremely nervous and instinctively, the Black Cat tried to counter it with calming, open energy. “Right on time,” he said, smiling. “I’m Bang Chan.”

The young man jumped a bit, as if not expecting to be addressed directly and looked over at San who gave him a gentle nudge forward. He bowed deeply and straightened up, running a hand through his half-navy, half-blond hair, split evenly down the middle. “I’m Han Jisung,” he said, eyes pinned to the floor. Slowly, he straightened up and cast a hesitant glance to Chan, before his dual coloured eyes widened. “Your eyes are like mine! Are you a Chimera too?”

Chan blinked. “A Chimera?”

“Jisung’s a Chimera were-cat,” San explained, guiding Jisung to sit down, following suit shortly after. “Chan-hyung’s a Black Cat.”

“Ohh,” Jisung exclaimed softly, nodding quickly. “That’s pretty cool.”

Chan looked from Jisung to San and tilted his head slightly. “I take it that Jisung is the third host you were mentioning?” he asked, hoping for clarification. Jisung seemed so anxious and shy that Chan almost felt bad that San had dragged him out here.

San nodded and absently placed a hand on Jisung’s leg, giving it a gentle pat. “Ji and I go way back; we grew up in the same orphanage. He’s never worked at a Host Bar, but he’s known me long enough that he can basically do it with his eyes closed. Plus, I know for a fact he’s used some of the tricks he’s learned from me to get a better deal when performing at music clubs.”

“Oh! You’re a musician?” Chan asked, interested piqued.

Jisung blushed and nodded, rubbing his neck. “I’m a rapper, or at least, I’m trying to make it a career. Not much a stray can do with no work experience and six dollars to their name.”

“Ah, welcome to the stray club,” Chan said with a smile. “Do you feel comfortable being a host for a night?”

To his surprise, Jisung nodded. “I’ve done it before, pinch hit at _Aphrodite_ after I performed there one time. This is … this might actually be better, since it seems more… I dunno, intimate? It’s not as bad as the big party crowd stuff usual hosting is. I hate big crowds.” He rubbed his neck. “You sure you’ll be okay with me? San-hyung told me that the future of your Bar’s at stake.”

“I’d love to have you on board,” Chan replied without hesitation. “And don’t worry about the whole competition part of it; just do your best. Whatever happens, happens. But I’d be lying if I said I hope that we destroy them.”

San blinked and laughed. “That’s the first time that I’ve heard you talk like that, hyung.” He grinned. “Are we talking to _Christopher_ now instead of Channie?”

Chan grunted. “Quiet.” He sat back in his chair, sucking on his teeth. “You can’t tell me that that’s not the reason why you suggested that Hyunjin and Felix would come to our Bar was to stick it to Kim.”

“Guilty as charged,” San confirmed with a smirk. “But here’s what we’re going to do that they’re never, in a million years going to think to do.”

Jisung blinked. “What’s that? Use our were-cat forms?”

“No, it’s — hey!” San exclaimed, his lips curling into a pout as he realized that Jisung correctly guessed his plan. “Yes, actually. I think we should actively promote this as a were-cat bar and even shift with them. Chan-hyung, you can shift and still keep your clothes on, yeah?”

Chan blinked at him owlishly. “Yeah. But I know that’s a Black Cat only thing… what about Jisung?”

“That’s easy, his booth will be near the folding screen and he can just go back and forth and get changed,” San explained, waving a hand. “So we’ve got the intimate nature of a one on one conversation, a cat cafe, and the best drinks in the city. I think we can do this.”

Jisung looked over at San. “What if they try and sabotage us like they did with _Aphrodite_? The only matchup they didn’t fix was yours because you caught on to their dumb gambit.”

Chan stared. “They outright tried to cheat?”

“Oh they didn’t _try_ , they _did_ ,” Jisung replied, shaking his head. “The whole thing’s corrupt as hell, but Sannie was able to catch on quick enough that he could counter it and pull out ahead. They’re definitely going to try and do the same thing this time.”

San snorted. “Without a doubt. That’s why I wanted you to be our third; you know their tricks and with Chan-hyung’s abilities, he’s going to be able to figure out who their plants are going to be.”

“Plants?” Chan echoed.

Jisung nodded, sighing heavily. “Yeah they send people they know to the competing club and they just suck up time and don’t order anything so you can’t bump up your revenue. I dunno if they’ve gotten better with making sure they don’t look too obvious…”

“Probably not,” San scoffed, rolling his purple eyes. “I know you don’t like using your abilities like that, Chan-hyung, but we’re going to have to be _on top of things_ if we’re going to come out on top. Did you put out the notice on the website?”

“Yeah, I was just updating the main blurb when you two showed up,” Chan explained, pulling out his phone. “How are we going to advertise, though? Is it enough to let our regulars know that we’re in a competition on Saturday?”

San shook his head. “Leave that to Jisung and I. You need to focus on getting the Bar ready - we’re probably going to need the whole non-restaurant part of the place.”

Quickly realizing what San was getting at, Chan nodded. “Got it. Jisung, you prefer to have mainly one-on-one appointments, right?”

“Yeah, if that’s okay,” Jisung confirmed, chewing his bottom lip. “I’ll get more comfortable as the night goes on but at first, one-on-ones is probably better.”

“You got it,” Chan agreed. “San, you and I will probably have to switch between group and one-on-ones. — wait. Do you think I should…?” He trailed off, looking thoughtful. “Or is that too much?”

San raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on in that brain of yours, Channie-hyung?”

Chan glanced over at the two younger were-cats. “This might not work, just because they’re all busy… but what if I asked Seokjin-hyung and his friends to come by on Saturday? Or is that… is that cheating somehow?”

“Are you kidding? If you can get Kim Seokjin to even _mention_ this place we’ll be set!” San exclaimed, slamming his hands down on the table. “Use every advantage you’ve got, Chan-hyung!”

Jisung leaned in and spoke in an excited whisper. “He knows Kim Seokjin?!”

San looked over and nodded. “He won the Bar in a poker game with Kim Seokjin and his famous actor buddies!”

Jisung’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. “That’s so cool! You didn’t say that he was famous!”

“I’m not famous,” Chan insisted, shaking his head. “I just worked at his restaurant for a bit. A week might not be enough time, but… you’re right, we gotta do everything we can to make this work.” Quickly, Chan fished his phone out of his pocket, and hit ‘publish’ on the site update before switching to his address book application. (Here goes,) he thought, pressing ‘call’ on Seokjin’s entry.

Just when he was about to hang up as the call was seemingly ringing out, the line connected. “Channie!” came Seokjin’s melodious voice, bright despite the relatively early hour. “I haven’t heard from you in a dog’s age! Or cat’s age, with you? Hm… I’ll workshop that. How are you?”

Chan smiled; Seokjin’s energy was infectious. “I’m good, hyung. Ah, I feel silly for asking this, but…”

“— Bang Chan, are you actually going to ask your dear hyung for a favour?” Seokjin interrupted, gasping. “I never thought I would live to see the day. It’s like you’re allergic to asking for help.”

Chan sputtered. “I ask for help—”

“And I’m the President,” Seokjin snorted. “But in all seriousness, what is it? — You’ll have to be quick, though; I’m on set.”

Chan’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Of course Seokjin would be busy. “I’ll be as quick as I can. The bar’s gotten so successful to the point that the biggest club in the city challenged us to a club vs club competition where if we lose we close down and me and the other host that works with me have to work at _Star Shine_. But if we win, then we get to save two of our friends from working in a toxic environment and they’ll leave us alone. It’s going to be a free-for-all, first-come-first-serve type of appointments and I was… I was wondering if there was a way you could help. Even a tweet would help us a lot.”

The silence on the other end socked him in the gut and in that moment, Chan knew that he’d over-extended himself, crossed a boundary. Seokjin, while a very kind person, was also very busy and really only was nice to Chan because it was basic manners. Chan chewed on his lip and was about to apologize when Seokjin cut him off. “You said _Star Shine_ challenged you to a Host Bar competition? It’s just you and another host there, you said?” Seokjin asked, his voice eerily calm, but there was a definite edge.

“Y-Yes,” Chan confirmed. “Kim Sungho. He came himself to challenge San and I; pretty much said that he wants to crush us and make sure we don’t operate in Seoul, or anywhere. He says he wants San to work at _Star Shine_ but he won’t even say what he plans to do with _me_.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The Commission’s basically in his pocket and the Business Association too. We’re kind of stuck, but I think we can make this work.”

Seokjin was silent, and Chan could hear faint yelling in the background and movement; it sounded like Seokjin was moving to a quieter location. “I’m not surprised,” Seokjin said finally, exhaling sharply. “When I said that you had to be careful with the Host Bar business, this is what I meant. Kim’s made a living out of snuffing out other clubs, by hook or by crook.”

“Seems to be the consensus; San said the same thing. He used to work at a club that _Star Shine_ put out of business in the same way,” Chan sighed. “I feel like I’m in over my head but I’m not going to go down without a fight.”

“Good, nor should you,” Seokjin agreed. “What are the terms of the competition?”

“3 vs 3, a free-for-all, no appointments, just… whoever makes the most amount of money from open to close on Saturday the 13th,” Chan answered. “If they win, we close down. If we win, we take Felix and Hyunjin and _Star Shine’s_ revenue from that night, and they will leave us alone.”

Seokjin made a sound of acknowledgement. “Pretty standard. Let me tell you something, Channie: all’s fair in love and war so don’t you feel guilty for calling me. I have an idea, but it’s going to take me a little while to put it into motion so keep preparing as you were.”

Chan felt lightheaded; he didn’t think that this would get this far. Then again, he’d been saying and thinking that the entire time that he’d been alive so maybe this was just how his life was going to go. “Okay,” he said finally. “Thank you, Seokjin-hyung.”

The restauranteur’s laugh rang clear as a bell from the other end of the line. “Always make use of the connections you have, Channie. The world of business is cutthroat, and you’ve got to do whatever it takes within the law to make sure you survive.”

“I’m beginning to realize that,” Chan said, nodding to himself. “Please, let me know if you need anything from me, Seokjin-hyung. I owe you.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have promised me that, Channie!” Seokjin chided with a loud, squeaky laugh. “But noted. All right, I really do need to go, but I’m definitely in to help.”

“Thank you, I can do whatever you need,” Chan promised. Seokjin laughed and agreed, the call ending on a far more hopeful note than Chan could ever have dreamed. As Chan slipped his phone back into his pocket, he looked up at Jisung and San, who were staring back at him with wide eyes. “He’s in. He says it’s going to take him some time to pull something together, but he didn’t tell me what it is. I trust him, though.”

San let out a low whistle. “All right, that’s set. Let’s go and get some reps in, Ji. You’re out of practice and we need you in fighting shape for Saturday.”

Jisung blinked. “Am I just going to practice on you two?”

“I believe San means you’re going to be taking clients with us up until Saturday,” Chan replied, smiling ruefully. “Saturday’s appointments have been cancelled, but we still have a whole rest of the week to get through.”

“Oh god,” Jisung groaned, putting his face in his hands. “Okay, okay. I can do this.”

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Chan asked gently. “If you feel uncomfortable doing this, San and I can find someone.” As he thought about it, Hoseok did give him BamBam’s number, he could probably help in a pinch…

Jisung quickly nodded. “I’ll be fine. I just need to … just need to psyche myself up. And find my suit.” He sighed and pressed his forehead to the table.

Chan gently placed a hand on Jisung’s arm, giving it a light pat. “If you don’t have one, we can help you find one. Or at the very least, a good pair of slacks and a button down. If you’ve got some rings or earrings, that’d help too.”

“Yeah, I can do that,” Jisung confirmed, raising his head off the tabletop. “Just gotta make sure I don’t look like some yakuza thug.”

San snorted. “We could probably make that work if you did.”

“Babyfaced killer Han Jisung,” Chan added, laughing. “I think something simple like a button-down and slacks will work for you, if we’re going to be making use of shifting forms. It’ll be easier for you to change back and forth.”

Quickly, Jisung nodded, his dual coloured hair flopping back and forth. “Can we… can we practice now?”

Chan nodded. “Let’s go.”

~ * ~

If San turned himself up to 11 when hosting, Jisung turned into a completely different person. When Chan first met him only hours before, Jisung was painfully shy, so anxious to the point that he couldn’t talk without staring at the floor. When Jisung was in Host Mode, he was loud, vibrant, confident, and witty. Chan watched as he easily got a closed-off customer to open up and even laugh at his jokes, telling her a wild story about the time Jisung and San convinced a five star hotel that they were the children of two diplomats and got themselves the best suite in the hotel. By the time hotel staff realized what happened, they’d bounced and with a shit ton of hotel freebies to boot.

But it was nothing compared to the first words out of his mouth when he met his last customer of the night, an older woman named Taeyeon. “Noona, do you have a boyfriend?” he asked, his voice buttery smooth and while he didn’t have a devastatingly low register like Felix, the boldness of his question completely and utterly flustered Taeyeon.

She cleared her throat and looked over at Chan. “H-How is that drink coming, Channie?” she asked, her cheeks and ears fire-engine red.

“Just finished,” Chan said, trying his hardest not to laugh at the waves of relief rolling off Taeyeon. “One _Miroh_ , as requested. This one is my favourite and I hope it becomes yours as well.”

Relieved, Taeyeon took the drink and took a deep sip, her eyes widening. “Oh my. You weren’t kidding, Jisungie, it’s … goodness, Channie really knows how to whip together a drink.”

Leaning over the counter of the bar, Chan gave her a wink as he saw her eyes trail to his tattoos that covered his bared forearms from his rolled up sleeves. “If Jisung’s not your type, I’m open.”

“Hyung!” Jisung exclaimed, cheeks puffing out. “Butt out!”

Distracted by the sudden shift in Jisung’s expression from flirty and bold to adorable as well as emboldened by the tart notes of _Miroh_ , Taeyeon giggled, lightly tapping Jisung’s nose. “Don’t worry, Jisungie, keep those pretty eyes of yours on me.”

Now flustered by someone directly complimenting his dual coloured eyes, Jisung flushed and allowed Taeyeon to coo and dote over him for the remainder of her appointment. As the night finished up, Chan clapped a hand on Jisung’s shoulder. “You did great!” Chan complimented, smiling as Jisung blushed brightly. “Celebratory drink for a job well done!”

“It was a lot more fun than I thought it’d be; your customers are so nice,” Jisung said, watching with adorable curiosity as Chan pulled out three clean glasses and began to mix up a drink he tended to save for his hosts and close friends - _Haven_. “They even like my eyes. I don’t think… I always had to wear contacts when I hosted.”

Chan stopped in his mixing for a moment and gave Jisung a warm smile. “Your eyes are a part of you, like mine are to me. Like Felix’s freckles and the scar on San’s right eyebrow. It makes you, you. Anybody who doesn’t see it as a positive isn’t seeing you for the wonderful person you are. I won’t lie, it does hurt to hear sometimes, but… I don’t know.” Chan resumed finishing up the triplet set of drinks, smiling as he talked. “I think it takes time to find the good people out there. And anything good is worth the wait.”

As Jisung’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, San sniffed and wiped at his eyes with the back of his sleeves. “You’re like the sweetest man alive, what the fuck,” he whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. “You’re ruining my make-up with these goddamn _feels_ , hyung.”

Chan laughed, looking sheepish and apologetic. “Sorry. But I only speak the truth.” He pushed two of the glasses towards Jisung and San, keeping the third for himself. “A little toast: to Sannie, I don’t know what I’d do without your quick thinking and expertise. To Jisung, we haven’t known each other for very long, but I can see that you’re a good soul and I’m happy to have you here. And to me, someone who has no idea what they’re doing but has been very lucky to know such amazing people even in the wildest times. Cheers!”

“Cheers!” San and Jisung exclaimed together, clinking their glasses together with Chan’s. They erupted into laughter, something that Chan wanted to tattoo to every surface of his Bar. This would be a place where anybody could come and feel safe, feel heard, and feel valid. If they somehow lost the competition, he’d find a way to continue to use his abilities for good.

And as the week progressed and the newly formed trio perfected their dynamics and put their noses to the grindstone in preparation for the big showdown, Chan was hopeful that this birthday would be the one that went his way.

~ * ~

Despite the fact that Felix woke up early, he still missed Chan on the morning of his birthday, October 13th. Realizing that the Black Cat must have gone down to _Chan’s Room_ to prepare for the big day, Felix quickly picked up his phone and saw that Chan sent a text explaining that he’d gone down early to the Bar, and that he was welcome to come down as the competition hadn’t started yet but he would understand if Felix felt that it would be too dangerous.

Looking over at the small, decently wrapped box that contained Chan’s present, Felix locked his phone and tossed it on the bed, hurrying to shower and get changed into something a little more dressy but still casual. He wanted to look his best when he gave Chan his present. A blush coloured his freckled cheeks as he paused in the habitual step of adding a little bit of eyeshadow to his eyes to make them stand out, then finished up as he’d already almost gotten it done. Felix looked at himself in the mirror, looking every bit the young 20 something that he was.

“Okay, you can do this. You can give this to Chan and you can … you can get your head out of your arse and tell him… you can ask him out. Yeah. You can do it, Lix. Yeah.” He groaned and pressed his forehead to the mirror, yelping and pulling back when he realized he left some of the BB cream he’d applied smeared on the mirror. “Shit…”

After cleaning up his mess, Felix straightened himself out yet again and pulled on a jacket and a thin beanie, as the weather had dipped in temperature a bit at the onset of October. He held the small box close to his chest as he made his way to _Chan’s Room_ , his excitement beginning to build. It was all prepared in his mind: Chan would be behind the bar, likely ensuring that all the liquor was filled, that replacement bottles were within reach, he’d be double and triple checking that his potion components were fresh and ready to go, and he’d be humming some tune that wouldn’t leave his head. Felix would come in, and make damn sure that Chan’s birthday this year would be something he’d remember fondly.

His brows knitted together as he neared the Bar, stepping off the subway and making his way down the block; something felt off. Felix could see that the door was open despite the fact that _Chan’s Room_ was not supposed to open until 5:00 p.m. - the same time that _Star Shine_ was to open for the competition. His chest tightened and Felix found himself running for the last couple of feet until he reached the opened door to the bar. “Channie! Are you—”

The Lynx’s voice died in his throat as his eyes adjusted to the change in light: Chan was standing in the middle of the destroyed bar, staring with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. All the high end liquor that Chan had painstakingly spent time and money curating alongside the modified shelf were completely smashed, shattered glass and wasted liquor splashed everywhere. The kitchen equipment had been thoroughly annihilated, to the point that there was no way to salvage a deep fryer, let alone the stove. Half of the booths in the restaurant portion had been cut up, leaving just the Host Bar portion with its fucked up stools, half of which were missing their legs.

“Channie…” Felix could barely talk; the anger that was radiating off Chan was something he’d never experienced before and it was terrifying. Even when things got their worst, even when he was talking about his neglectful father and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his hometown, Chan always remained calm. But now, there was nothing but pure rage and frustration - it almost made Felix want to go and break something at _Star Shine_. He remained still, however, and reached out to place a small hand on Chan’s broad shoulder. “Chan-hyung—”

Chan didn’t flinch at Felix’s touch, though there was an imperceptible shift in his posture. “I should have seen this coming,” he said, his voice rough with disuse and thick with anger. “I just… I thought that even they wouldn’t sink this low. But if they think… if they think that I’m going to just lie back and let them do this… not just to me, but to San, and to Jisung, to you and Hyunjin, then they’ve got another thing coming.” He turned slightly, and although his dual coloured eyes were bright with intensity, they looked as soft as they always did when Chan was looking at him. Felix relaxed; the Chan he knew was still there. “You should… You should go, in case someone’s watching here. I don’t want you to get hurt because of this.”

Felix shook his head. “Yeah, I’ll … I’ll go in a second, but … I wanted to give something to you first.”

Confusion now coloured the Black Cat’s handsome features and he tilted his head. “What?”

“This is… I had a whole plan in my head, but… Happy Birthday, Channie-hyung,” Felix said, holding out the box. “I was hoping to surprise you under better circumstances, but… you know what? Nothing’s perfect.” He smiled. “I hope you like it.”

Carefully, and almost with the same level of care that he’d treat a fragile piece of glass, Chan took the box and looked at Felix like he’d been given the most precious gift in the world. “Felix… thank you. I told you that you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“And I said I wanted to,” Felix pointed out. “Now, open it!”

Felix’s heart was pounding out of his chest as he watched Chan’s tattooed fingers take the lid off the little box and gently move aside the tissue paper inside. He chewed his lip as Chan carefully removed a thin silver ring with elegant engraving in English written on the outer band. “ _I won’t leave you behind - Felix_ ,” Chan read, his dual coloured eyes widening in realization. As his head snapped up to look at Felix, the Lynx were-cat held up his right hand where an identical band was resting on his index finger, but with Chan’s name instead of his own. “Felix…”

Forcing himself to talk, Felix gave the brightest smile he could. “I wish it could be better quality, but… I meant it, Chan-hyung. It’s you and me vs the world. No matter what happens, I’m not… I’m not going to leave you and you better not leave me.”

“I… I won’t,” Chan promised, nodding as he carefully slid the ring onto the middle finger of his left hand. “I won’t leave you behind, Felix.”

“And I won’t leave you behind,” Felix echoed, nodding firmly. He looked around the bar. “What are you going to do, though? Everything’s… trashed.”

Chan shook his head. “I’ll figure it out. But you better get going before someone finds you here.” He forced a thin smile. “Remember, I want you at your best tonight. Sannie, myself and our third host are going to be coming out swinging.”

Felix blinked and smiled, nodding. “Yeah, you got it cuz!” He pulled Chan into a tight hug. “Good luck, Channie. Let me know if we can do anything.”

“Keep your head up and that’s enough,” Chan replied, hugging him back. “I’ll be okay, Felix. And… thank you for the present. It’s the first one I’ve ever gotten; I’ll treasure it.”

Felix stilled, somehow not realizing that with not celebrating his birthday and being a loner, Chan wouldn’t have ever gotten a birthday present. His heart ached and he tightened his hold on the older were-cat. “You should get all the presents in the world, Channie-hyung,” he whispered. “I guess… I should get going.”

He really didn’t want to, though; it always felt safe and warm in Chan’s arms and Felix was beginning to feel selfish. When they pulled apart, regretfully, for a brief moment a surge of courage coursed through Felix’s veins; Chan was right there. He could do it. He could bridge the gap, cross that line…

Chan smiled and pulled back the rest of the way and nodded. “Take care of yourself, Felix. Is it possible to have Hyunjin come and meet you down here? It’s probably for the best to stick together right now.”

Slowly, Felix nodded. “Yeah, I … I was going to meet him after I gave you your present… he had a whole spa day planned.” He smiled weakly. “Maybe you need it more than I do.”

Shaking his head, Chan laughed. “It does sound nice, I’m not going to lie, but I’ll have to decline. Be careful, Felix. I’ll see you at the end of the night, no matter what happens.”

“Yeah, of course!” Felix enthused, trying to get himself in order. He bowed deeply and gave Chan one last smile before hurrying out, before he did something stupid like actually follow through on his plan to ask the Black Cat out. His heart was doing backflips in his chest, holding the image of Chan’s bright smile and the words ‘I’ll see you at the end of the night, no matter what happens’ as close as possible.

Chan watched as Felix left, and turned back to the ruined bar. Quietly, he set the box down on one of the only non-ruined tables and began to systematically take pictures and video of the damage, almost single-minded in his task. Once he’d triple checked that the only damage was to the main room and not the storage room or the empty rooms in the basement and upstairs floors, Chan sighed and video called San and Jisung.

“Chan-hyung? What’s up?” Jisung asked, hair fluffy and cheeks puffy from sleep. “W-Whoa, what happened? You look pissed.”

At Jisung’s comment, San pulled his attention away from whatever he was doing. “I mean, it’s his birthday, maybe he’s — Chan-hyung?”

“I have good news and bad news,” Chan said. “Bad news is someone trashed the bar, the kitchen and all the liquor we had out. Most of the booth chairs and stools are practically unusable.”

Jisung stared. “What’s the good news?”

“They weren’t able to find or get into the storage room so we do have _some_ supplies. They didn’t take any money, or disrupt anything in my office,” Chan answered, sighing heavily. “But that’s about it for the good news.”

San’s brows furrowed. “Was it _Star Shine?_ ”

“I’m pretty sure that it was,” Chan confirmed, nodding. “I hate to ask this of you two, but do you mind coming down here now? I’m going to need some extra hands to try and clean up what we can. Hopefully I can think of an aesthetic change that’s doable in…” He looked down at his watch. “…Eight hours. Fuck.”

Jisung and San somehow managed to exchange a look with each other despite being on different screens on a video call. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear before,” San commented, blinking. “We’re definitely talking to _Christopher_ now.”

“Maybe,” Chan admitted, surprising him. “Alright, I’m going to get to work. I’ll see you guys in a bit?”

“—Yeah, I’ll be there in like half an hour,” Jisung said, already moving and getting out of his bed.

“Same, no, more like fifteen minutes,” San added, getting up himself and pulling on a jacket. “Hang in there, hyung. We’re going to get through this.”

Chan nodded. “Thank you, guys. Don’t worry about me, but be careful on the way down; I don’t know if Kim is going to try and attack you guys or something insane if he’s taken steps like this to take out the bar just hours before the head to head competition.”

San sighed. “Yeah, that’s fair. — Sungie, I’m going to come and get you, and we’ll head down together.”

“Sounds good,” Jisung agreed. “We’ll see you soon, hyung.”

The video call ended and Chan slipped his phone back into his pocket, rubbing his neck. (What the hell am I going to do? Well… first thing’s first, I’ve got to start cleaning up all the glass and liquor…) He sighed again and shuffled off to the janitorial closet, unlocking it and pulling out the mop, its bucket, the broom and dustpan, two giant boxes filled with new garbage bags, and cleaning supplies to wipe down the bar and booths. As he hauled everything out, he paused seeing a couple of shadowy forms at the opened door of the Bar. Tense, Chan carefully set the boxes down and squared his shoulders. “Who’s there?” he called. “Are you from _Star Shine_? Haven’t you done enough?”

“Yah!” one of the shadows exclaimed, putting their hands on their hips, and Chan’s eyes widened; he knew that yell. As he moved forward and was able to see a bit more clearly, he realized that the voice belonged to Seokjin, but that he wasn’t alone: flanking him and dressed in stylish incognito fashion was Bogum, Taemin and Seojoon. “How could you say something like that to me? Your mentor!”

Chan blinked and opened his mouth to reply, but was instead cut off by Taemin. “Hyung, there’s something more serious than that. Look around.”

Seojoon frowned. “Chan-ah, are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Chan confirmed, walking forward and gently ushering everyone inside before he closed the doors, blocking out the chilly autumnal air. “Can’t say the same for the rest of the bar, though. Almost everything of use has been trashed.”

Gently tugging down his mask, Bogum’s handsome face was stern. “You said _Star Shine_ , that’s the name of the Host Bar you’re competing with tonight? Hyung told us about the whole situation, we came down to talk to you about it.”

Chan nodded, rubbing his neck. “I’m almost positive they were the ones that attacked the bar,” he explained. “My office is fine, the safe has been untouched and they didn’t even find the storage room to take out our reserves. It’s definitely sabotage.”

“Kim Sungho,” Seokjin murmured. “Yes, this has his grubby handprints all over it. Is anything salvageable?”

“The kitchen, liquor, and half the booths are pretty much done for,” Chan answered, frowning. “The stools are basically shot and the only thing that didn’t get totally wrecked was the bar itself. I’ve got some reserve supplies but I don’t think it’s enough to handle the projected volume for the battle tonight. Sannie and Jisung should be here soon, and we’re going to try and clean up what we can and clear out the space. I’m … I’m thinking of maybe doing something more traditional in aesthetic, see if we can’t find some seat pillows and do some kind of theme night.”

Taemin nodded, rubbing his chin with a ring adorned hand. “That’s not a bad idea,” he agreed, looking around. “You could use patterned curtains to give it a throne room like feel or something, to hide the damage. Shouldn’t be too hard to get.”

“Dead easy,” Seojoon agreed, pulling out his phone. “I can get everything from my Gangnam apartment. I still have a purely traditional room I had done after _Hwarang_ wrapped.”

“Wait, hold on—” Chan held up a hand, startled.

Bogum nodded himself and took out his own phone. “Bring the seat cushions and the furniture. I can get the curtains and the decorations from my Hannam apartment.”

Chan’s head was beginning to spin. “You don’t need to do all that—”

Seokjin waved a hand. “Channie, let your hyungs take care of this.”

“You’re already doing so much!” Chan protested. “Just by being here, it’s more than enough! I appreciate the support but all of this really isn’t necessary…”

“Oh, we’ll be here for your competition,” Taemin said, raking a hand through his hair. “We’ve already put the word out on our social media pages - I hope you don’t mind - and this is just making sure that everything is up to our standards.” He laughed, giving Chan a wink that the youngest weakly returned with a smile.

San and Jisung hurried into the bar, both out of breath as it looked like the two of them ran the entire way from the subway station. “Hyung!” they both exclaimed. “Are you —” they trailed off, staring at the collection of famous young men that stood in front of them with wide, startled eyes.

“H-Hello,” Jisung greeted shakily, bowing deeply and pulling San down to do the same. He turned to Chan. “Um, hyung … why are really famous people here hanging out like it’s Sunday brunch…?”

Chan was grateful for a chance to try and process what was happening. “Ah, this is Seokjin-hyung, and Park Bogum, Park Seojoon and Lee Taemin. They were at the poker game I won the bar in. Remember I asked Seokjin-hyung for help? They, ah… they’re really going above and beyond; I’m very grateful. They came to talk to us about the plan for tonight.” He bowed deeply himself.

Seokjin cooed and slung an arm around Chan’s shoulders, lightly poking at his cheek where his dimple would be. “We _want_ to help,” he said, smiling. “I’m going to get a junk truck to come by and park outside the bar so you can toss all the unsalvageable pieces of furniture and the like. Are you three going to be all right cleaning up?”

Chan nodded. “Yeah, we’ll be okay. Between the three of us we can get it all cleaned up while the rest of the stuff comes in.” Trying to keep himself composed, he looked at Taemin, Seojoon and Bogum, bowing again but deeper. “Thank you for your help, truly. I don’t know what I’d… I don’t know how I’d pull this off otherwise without everyone.”

Taemin smiled and ruffled Chan’s hair affectionately. “We help each other out.” He flicked his soulmate earring on his right ear as he gave Chan a wink. “We’ll be coming and going throughout the day, but I’ll definitely see you later. Hang in there, Channie.” He smiled at Jisung and San, who seemed thunderstruck. “You two as well. I’ll see you three later.” He bowed to his friends and left, with Seojoon and Bogum following suit once their own phone calls had been placed.

Seokjin was the last one to leave, long fingers quickly typing on his latest model phone. “All right; the truck is on its way and I’ve made an executive order at _Moon_. We can’t very well have a host bar open with no food or drink.”

Chan stared. “Hyung, that’s way too much, I can’t accept—mmf.” He blinked as Seokjin placed an elegant finger against his lips. “Hyung…”

“Let your hyung do this, mm?” Seokjin was clearly not accepting no for an answer and once he’d gotten a nod from Chan, he waved and headed off, blowing a kiss to San and Jisung with a wink. Maybe Kim Sungho made bigger enemies than Chan thought… he wasn’t about to complain.

As the doors closed behind them, the three young men were left to stare at each other in a vain attempt to process the surreal experience they’d just gone through. “Come on,” Chan said, breaking the silence. “We have to get this all cleared out and cleaned up, we don’t have that much time before opening.”

That seemed to snap Jisung and San out of their dumbstruck stupors, and they nodded, shrugging off their jackets and hanging them up before getting to work. With the three of them focusing on cleaning and only cleaning, most if not all of the debris was cleared away and put into the garbage bags. The kitchen was the tricky part, but Chan was never more relieved that he hoarded the huge boxes he got from various supply drops for the food and drink, ensuring that the metal was properly contained before dragging it all outside to the junk truck.

Almost as soon as they’d finished clearing out the main floor, Seojoon, Taemin and Bogum’s people started coming and going, dropping off fancy seat cushions, gorgeous interior decorations and luxurious silks that were serving as covers for the destroyed booths and curtains for the destroyed Host Bar portion of the building. The flurry of activity almost distracted the three young Hosts from the monstrous task that lay ahead of them just mere hours from then. They were cutting it so close to the wire that they had to change into their Host suits in the midst of putting together the finishing touches just so they wouldn’t be caught flat footed when the Commission’s Representative arrived.

It was good timing as just as they’d slid the last piece of furniture into space and cleaned the sweat from their brows, necks and faces, a man in a garish suit and flanked by several cameramen appeared. “And here we are at _Chan’s Room!_ The upstart young promotion headed by the infamous Bang Chan himself!”

“Why does everyone keep calling me infamous?” Chan muttered, watching the man warily. The ostentatious, obnoxious air surrounding the man made him want to vomit, but somehow, he managed to keep his composure. “Are you from the Commission?” he asked instead.

The man blinked and ‘rewarded’ Chan with a smarmy smile. Yeah, this guy was definitely not going to be some sort of objective beacon of honesty. Jisung and San were not as good at hiding their distrust of the guy and Chan wondered if they recognized him from _Aphrodite’s_ battle with _Star Shine_. “I’m Moon Kyubong! The Commission’s Representative and one of the two links between this David vs Goliath battle between _Star Shine_ and _Chan’s Room!_ My cohort, Jeong Hajoon will be over at _Star Shine_ and we will be having a live link between the two clubs!”

“Wonderful,” Chan muttered.

San placed a hand on his hip. “I trust we can place our faith in the Commission to call this straight down the middle, right?”

“Oh! Long time no see, Choi San,” Kyubong drawled, gaudy jewellery jingling as he bowed obnoxiously. “I hope you’re able to keep _this_ club from falling apart.”

“Maybe you should keep your nose outta Kim Sungho’s ass first,” Jisung muttered, just loud enough that Chan and San heard him, but not the cameramen or Kyubong. San smirked and Chan struggled to keep his expression neutral; the more that Jisung got comfortable, the more his real personality started to shine through and he was a _mischief maker_.

If Kyubong heard, he didn’t say anything and continued on as if no one had said anything. “Let’s begin with an overview of the rules! The Bars will be open from 17:00 to 0:00, and there will be no appointments, only first come first serve! At the end of the night, we will tally up both _Star Shine_ and _Chan’s Room’s_ profits and name a winner! If you win, you take the winnings from both clubs, and Hwang Hyunjin and Lee Yongbok leave _Star Shine_ and come here. If _Star Shine_ wins, _Chan’s Room_ closes and both you and Mr. Choi San come to work at _Star Shine_. Easy as that. Any questions?”

Chan shook his head. “As long as this is run as fairly as possible, I don’t have any questions.” (From the look of those TV screens they’re setting up, they’re streaming both our progress and _Star Shine’s_ … whatever it takes to make money, I guess. The viewers are probably expecting us to eat shit and implode. The joke’s going to be on them; we’re not going down. Not tonight.)

“Any words to the audience before the beginning of the competition?” Kyubong asked, shoving a microphone into Chan’s face.

A charming smile creased Chan’s lips and he nodded. Seokjin had impressed upon him from his time at _Moon_ that any time there is a chance to promote one’s ventures, to take it and every single customer was a chance to impress upon them what one was about and what one offered. “This is an exciting night for both Bars and I hope that all of you that come to us here at _Chan’s Room_ or go to _Star Shine_ have the best evening possible. To those that choose us, an experience unlike any other awaits you for our very first theme night: there will even be some surprises that will make it truly… unforgettable. Tonight is my birthday and I hope to spend it all with all of you.” He smiled and bowed. “To those I haven’t met before, I’m Bang Chan, this is San, and Jisung. We look forward to getting to know you at _Chan’s Room_.”

While not his _best_ work, it clearly got the point across as several of the staff and some of the cameramen seemed to shift expressions from stoic to intrigued and Kyubong himself seemed irritated; it was clear that he wasn’t expecting Chan to nail it. “Very promising words from what is quite _clearly_ the underdog of the evening!” he said to the camera. “We are mere minutes away from opening and the first customers of the night! What will happen?!”

Chan bowed and turned to Jisung and San. “You two ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Jisung confirmed, nodding firmly, “to knock these bullies the hell _out_.”

San nodded himself. “I’m not going to let you down the way I let _Aphrodite_ fall. It’s going to be different this time.”

Chan also nodded and put a hand on both their shoulders. “That wasn’t your fault. But it _will_ be different this time. Remember, the customer comes first and we keep dong what we’ve been doing the entire time.” His voice dropped lower, well aware of Kyubong and the cameramen floating around. “And when the ‘surprises’ go off, that’s when it’ll really kick off and it’s going to be a lot big group appointments. Jisung, you’ll be okay?”

“I got this,” Jisung confirmed. “This isn’t … this isn’t about me. It’s about all of us.”

“We’ve got your back, and the surprises… they’re seasoned professionals, they’ll have our backs too,” Chan reassured, sparing a glance towards the bustling activity that was beginning to permeate the bar. He could hear the crowd outside and his breath caught in his throat; this was really happening. “If we see any plants, Jisung, you’re up. All right, let’s do this.”

Kyubong threw his hands in the air. “Ready… set… Host!”

The doors opened with a grand flourish by two Commission staff, and the competition officially began. Chan stayed at the front, personally greeting the first handful of customers and immediately sussing out what host they wanted. It was such a contrast to the stilted and impersonal way that _Star Shine_ greeted their customers, and although Chan couldn’t spare much of a glance to the TV screens, he could hear the difference.

As he brought a group of four actresses over to San, the younger Black Cat grinned and took the each of the girls’ hands in his, placing a soft kiss to their fingertips, the sparkling chain attached to his lip ring glinting in the soft lighting. “Are you ladies ready for some Black Cat Magic?” he asked, practically purring as he led them over to a section of the seat cushions that would serve as his group appointment spot.

One of the women giggled and blushed, but seemed to be the leader of the group. “Are you going to charm us, Sannie?” she asked, giving a beautiful, coy smile. “Cast a spell on us?”

As he led them to sit down on their seat cushions, San bowed in such a way that let his jewellery jingle melodically. “The spell was cast the minute you came into _Chan’s Room_ , but tonight is going to be especially lovely… I have a special surprise for you, my special customers, my soulmates…”

Chan lingered for a moment, wanting to see how the first reveal would go of their first secret weapon. San was the picture perfect host, making sure that each and every one of his customers’ eyes were on him before shifting with a bit of a magical flair, using a bit of his magic to create a puff of black and green smoke. Chan felt his heart leap into his throat as silence stretched, only the traditional music playing gently over the Bar’s speakers being heard. He bit his lip, watching the young women’s reactions.

Suddenly, they let out an almost harmonious series of coos, surrounding San who was now in his Black Cat form. The soulmate charm on his tail glinted in the light, further adding to his charm alongside his vibrant, violet-hued gaze. San easily went into their arms one after the other, holding their attention and their hearts for the remainder of his appointment, even after he shifted back in order to actually speak with them.

Chan let out a loud exhale of relief, quickly going back to the front area to escort Jisung’s first customer over to him. Or he was, until a group of young women he didn’t recognize started asking him questions. “Ah, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get to everyone in due time but I wanted to — hey!” Chan exclaimed as the young women forcibly came in, moving like a tsunami and carrying Chan into the Bar like a wave.

 _“We just need to stall.”  
_ _“He’s really cute though.”  
_ _“Just keep talking to him! We need the money.”_

Chan’s brows furrowed; the women were anxious but they were also extremely desperate and determined. It was so strong, Chan was even hearing their thoughts. It wasn’t terribly out of the ordinary with the way that the attendance was set up, but Chan’s instincts were screaming at him that this wasn’t right. As the women tried to herd Chan towards the bar, he gave a whistle.

Immediately, Jisung jumped to his feet, the shimmery fabric of his hanbok playing nicely with the specialized lighting. He nodded and hurried over to a makeshift stage on what used to be a series of tables, giving the thumbs up to the DJ who had been playing a remix of traditional Korean music the entire night. The DJ nodded back and shifted seamlessly into a similarly styled track but with a harder backing beat, tossing a microphone to Jisung, who caught it easily.

“You ladies are in for a treat,” Chan said as he sat them down in front of the stage, extricating himself skillfully. “Take it away, J.One!” Jisung gave Chan an exaggerated wink as he began to perform, creating a distraction for the plants while still under the guise of giving entertainment. (He can’t be doing this every time there’s a plant, but we can at least put as many as possible over there right now. I didn’t think they’d start with that off the bat. They really don’t think much of us.)

“— it looks like _Star Shine_ has begun to pull away with a massive lead!” Kyubong exclaimed, gesturing wildly to the screens. “The night’s just started and they’re already throwing dirt onto _Chan’s Room’s_ grave!”

(What the … no, forget that,) Chan told himself, returning to the front and apologizing to the customers that had been so rudely interrupted. He took Jisung’s customer as well as the ones that were there for him, bringing them over to the modified bar, giving them little glimpses of his tattoos as the flowing sleeves of his darker coloured hanbok shifted with his movement. “I’m so happy that you’re able to come tonight,” he said, smiling fondly at his customers - he recognized them as some of his regulars. “Tonight’s more than just a competition with _Star Shine_.”

“Oh?” one of the women, Mina, asked, her brown eyes wide. “What’s today?”

“It’s my birthday,” Chan explained, smiling shyly. “I was worried no one would come to spend it with me. But you all came! I’m so thankful.”

A second woman, Siyeon, gasped and put her hands to her mouth. “It’s your birthday today, Channie?! Well, we definitely need to celebrate!”

Chan winked. “We definitely do!” His nerves went away as he focused on his customers, able to put his full being into speaking to each one one-on-one, despite the excitable energy in the Bar. Kyubong flitted about, trying his best to be nuisance but was unable to do much except add to the ambient noise; Chan, Jisung and San were ignoring him handily.

He tried not to look, but every time he looked at the overall tally of revenue, _Star Shine_ was far and away the leader. He knew that Daeho, Hyunjin and Felix were good at their jobs, but they were _really_ good. At this rate, they’d spend the rest of the night playing catchup and still not get anywhere. Maybe this really was a bad idea… Chan frowned and looked over at the screen, watching as Felix chatted animatedly with a group of young women his age.

Felix…

Chan glanced down at the ring on his middle finger, absently touching the metal and fiddling with it. He inhaled and exhaled deeply; he could do this. _They_ could do this. No matter what happened, he was going to see Felix at the end of the night, and they’d figure out what to do together.

That’s right.

They were in this together.

“Oh!? What’s this?!” Kyubong demanded, snapping Chan out of his thoughts. “What the hell is — is that idol and model Lee Taemin with supermodel, restauranteur and fashion designer Kim Seokjin!? What are you two doing here?”

Seokjin flashed a dazzling smile, dressed head to toe in his own designer brand and looking like a million dollars beside a darkly enchanting Taemin. “I’ve been trying to get a reservation to _Chan’s Room_ for months now but it’s been so busy! I thought I would try my luck tonight. I even brought Taemin as a good luck charm~”

San slid up beside Kyubong and threw his arms out, accidentally-on-purpose shoving the smarmy Representative aside. “Seokjin-ssi! Taemin-ssi! It’s wonderful to see the two of you! Please, come in, come in!”

“Hold on a minute! There weren’t supposed to be any appointments!” Kyubong accused. He started when three pairs of unimpressed eyes fell on him.

San turned to Seokjin and Taemin. “We didn’t make any appointments. Did you, Seokjin-ssi? Taemin-ssi?”

“No, we’ve been waiting out here with everyone else,” Seokjin replied, nodding seriously. “Ask anyone! — Yah, everyone! Were we there with you?”

A chorus of affirmative yells came from the line outside and San had a very difficult time holding his back smile; Seokjin was an absolute master of bending a crowd to his will and have them eating out of his hand. He would have to ask for some tips sometime.

“We would never jump the line!” Seokjin explained patiently to Kyubong.

“Well…” Taemin gave a sly smile and wink to the camera, watching with a pleased smirk as the stream suddenly stuttered due to the increase in traffic. “Not this time, though.”

Seokjin poked Kyubong’s chest with a slender finger. “Channie would never forgive us if we did something like that and I don’t know about you, but if Channie was ever upset with me, I think I would _die_.”

San bowed deeply. “If you’ll excuse us, Moon-ssi. — this way, Taemin-ssi, Seokjin-ssi~” He winked at the camera and blew a kiss before leading Seokjin and Taemin inside, the energy in the bar reaching a fever pitch now that two of the hottest young talents in Seoul were there.

Everything shifted almost seamlessly - Chan and Jisung brought their appointments to the larger area and moved between speaking with them and their famous clientele. It was one big appointment, no one being more valuable than anybody else. The philosophy of _Chan’s Room_ was everyone was welcome, no matter what their status and they were holding true to that.

“How is everything going, Channie?” Seokjin whispered, leaning in so he could speak into Chan’s pierced ear. “Has anybody tried anything?”

“We were behind up until you and Taemin-hyung came,” Chan explained quietly. “So far we’ve been able to handle any plants but… heh. Daeho, Hyunjin and Felix are really good. We have our work cut out for us even without all the sabotage.”

Seokjin nodded and made a bit of a show of tucking a lock of Chan’s raven black hair behind his ear, long fingers curling around the soulmate charm. Chan’s confused look melted away to one of recognition then feigned shyness when he realized what the older man was doing. “Channie, I want to ask you something… you recognized my earring, didn’t you?”

Startled, Chan straightened up and looked at the supermodel. “P-Pardon?”

“I’ve been thinking about it,” Seokjin said, leaning back and resting his hands on his crossed legs. “When we first met. You asked me about the earring, you asked if it was a half moon. It caught me off guard; everyone always asks if it’s broken.” He levelled a stern gaze to the young Black Cat. “You know what this is, don’t you?”

Swallowing tightly, Chan nodded. “At least… I have a pretty good idea what it is.” At Seokjin’s pointed look, the Black Cat continued. “It … it looks a lot like the soulmate earrings that Black Cats have; we have one on our right ear, and our soulmate has it on their left ear. They make up one pair and no one will ever have a similar looking earring, or similar engravings on the band. Sannie has one, and I have one. My friend, Hoseok, he has one. They all look different, but similar in a way.”

Seokjin’s plush lips curled into a slight frown. “Soulmates? Does a thing even exist?”

“That’s up for some debate,” Chan replied with a small smile. “But the way my mentor Raven explained it to me was that… Black Cats, we wander because the world doesn’t want us. They treat us like we’re bad luck, that we’re harbingers of ill fate, so we don’t settle down. We upset the balance because the balance doesn’t want us. She says… Fate doesn’t like that, Fate likes to keep things balanced, so She sees to it that each Black Cat has a soulmate. We’re their other half and they’re ours. We ground each other.” He looked down at his tattooed hands. “I worry about my soulmate, that I’m going to be a burden to them… that … they’ll feel like they don’t have a choice but to be with me. I want it to happen organically, you know?”

“I feel the same way,” Taemin said, surprising both Seokjin and Chan. “I never want anybody to think they have to be with me because some mysterious force called fate says so. Of course I want to know my soulmate. But… I don’t want it to rule my life. Maybe I’ll never meet them. Maybe I already have and I don’t know. I treasure my friends the most because of it. I know that even if I don’t find my soulmate, I have them.”

Chan smiled and nodded. “Yeah, exactly.”

Seokjin made a sound of acknowledgment and leaned back on his hands, looking up at the exquisite chandelier that Bogum had brought in earlier in the day. “Have you seen the other half of this earring, Channie?”

“I can’t remember,” Chan answered honestly. “But if I ever do, I’ll do my best to ensure that the two of you meet.” He smiled. “You’d be okay with your soulmate being a Black Cat, hyung?”

Without hesitation, Seokjin nodded. “They’re them… just like I’m me. That’s not all they are, but it’s a big part of them. Of course, it doesn’t matter what I think in the end; it all goes out the window once you meet them.” He laughed. “The best laid plans always get blown to Hell. That’s why we practically winged this one.”

Chan stared. “You _winged_ this? Why did you say you needed the week to prepare?”

Taemin laughed and clapped a hand over his thigh. “To see if we were all available! The only ones up in the air are—”

“You creep!” a girl suddenly cried and Chan’s head snapped up from the conversation. “I can’t believe you touched my ass! The fuck kind of place is this?!”

Jisung’s eyes were as wide as saucers and he was shaking his head so vehemently that Chan thought he’d shake the blue out of his hair. “No, I didn’t, I swear I didn’t—”

Chan frowned and quickly uttered an apology to his group before pushing himself and walking over. He cut in front of Kyubong and the cameras, standing in front of the camera and blocking the shot as he came over to Jisung and the young lady. “I’m Chan, the owner. What’s happened, Miss?”

The young woman looked up with fire in her eyes and Chan felt a wave of … adrenaline. That was odd. Quickly, he shook his head slightly and watched as she stood up, and poked him hard in the chest with a manicured nail. “What kind of racket are you running here? Do you tell all your hosts to be grabby?” she demanded.

Chan held up his hands so they were in plain view. “I can assure you that it isn’t, Miss.,” Chan started, making sure to keep a respectful distance. “Please, come with me over to the side here? We can talk about it out of the way if it makes it easier—”

“—No!” the girl said, continuing to jab Chan in the chest. “I want an answer! He grabbed my ass! What are you going to do about it?”

“I really didn’t! Jisung exclaimed, distressed.

Chan raised his hands again and tried to expel a calming energy to bring the tension down, but felt a strange pull of resistance fro the girl. There wasn’t any guilt or shame or fear in her energy, and while Chan knew everyone reacted differently to situations like this, it felt strange. But he had no time to dwell on it. He had to act fast and properly. “What happened? Let’s go through it slowly. Nothing’s going to be gained one way or the other if we scream at each other. I want to hear both sides.”

There was an almost imperceptible change in the girl’s energy, feeling almost calm, further setting off Chan’s suspicions. But he had to treat this seriously; even if it was an accident, the girl’s feelings were valid.

“What’s there to talk about?” she demanded.

“I just want to hear it from the beginning, from both of you,” Chan replied evenly, keeping his tone soft. “This is serious and I want to make sure that both of you are heard and we get down to the bottom of this properly.”

Kyubong hung over his shoulder. “There are a lot of clients waiting and you’ll fall further behind~!”

“They will be able to wait for a bit longer,” Chan replied evenly, knowing the cameras were far too close by for his liking. “My customers and my host’s safety comes first.” He turned his attention to Jisung and the girl. “Please. From the beginning. Jisung, what happened?”

Jisung nodded and swallowed. “It happened really fast. Miss. Sookjoo was trying to move from one spot to the other and she tripped on one of the pillows. I tried to catch her and I thought I caught her waist, but then she screamed and I panicked.” He bowed deeply. “I think I dropped her and that’s my fault. I’m so sorry.” He bowed deeply.

Chan inclined his head and gave him a reassuring smile. “Thank you, Jisung. Miss. Sookjoo, was it? What happened? — are you sure you don’t want to speak about this privately, away from the cameras?”

Sookjoo shook her head and there was the strange emotions rolling off her that continued to confuse Chan. He couldn’t place it, and his suspicions were growing stronger by the minute. He hoped he was wrong and that this was an accident, but the girl’s strange behaviour was setting off alarm bells. Whatever the case, he had to play this straight and be diligent. “I was just trying to move over to my friend Junie. He had his hand out and he took his chance to cop a feel while I was just trying to change seats. I told him to quit it and he dropped me like a sack of potatoes!”

“I do apologize that this happened, Miss,” Chan said softly. “It’s not our intentions at all here to make anyone feel uncomfortable. It appears to be an accident but all the same, I do want to apologize; you shouldn't ever feel unsafe and upset while in our care. Is there anything we can do to make this up to you? Jisung has apologized, but if there is something specific we can do our best to accommodate it.”

Sookjoo’s eyes widened, surprised by Chan’s response and the strange energy coming off her emotions seemed to fall to the wayside, now replaced by guilt and shame. “Damn it,” she whispered. “Why do you have to be so goddamn nice? He didn’t say that you were a freaking angel.”

Chan blinked. “Pardon?”

With a heavy sigh and a hand raking through her long blond hair, Sookjoo shook her head. “I can’t do this to you, it feels like I’m kicking a puppy. Two of them. He didn’t do anything. I mean, he dropped me but it’s because he thought he might have accidentally grabbed my waist too tight.” She dug around into her purse and placed a thick stack of bills in Chan’s hand. “Here, for the trouble.”

Before Chan could say anything in response, Sookjoo gave an apologetic smile to Jisung and bowed deeply, leaving the bar and grabbing her coat on the way out. “Oh my God she was a plant,” he breathed in disbelief. “Using something as serious as that just to…” Chan’s eyes narrowed and he quickly turned to Jisung, crouching down. “Are you all right?”

Jisung nodded, but was clearly shaken. “I might need a break… just a quick one. Is that… is that okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Take all the time you need, I’ll cover your customers,” Chan offered, hugging the younger man tightly. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

“N-No, I’ll be okay. I just… need a minute,” Jisung reassured, smiling weakly. “Some fresh air.”

Chan nodded and hugged him again. “Okay. If you need to tap out, there’s no shame. We’ll be okay.”

Slowly, Jisung nodded back. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be right back.” He bowed apologetically to his customers and hurried off to the back area of the Bar, escaping out the back door and leaning up against the wall, breathing in the crisp October air.

Letting out a shaky breath, Jisung braced up against the wall just long enough to slide down to a crouched position, careful not to wreck his hanbok. He put his head in his hands and struggled to remember how to breathe, swallowing tightly. His chest seemed to constrict in on himself, and he could feel his ribs pressing in on themselves, like the sharp bone was piercing his lungs even though no such thing was possible with what happened. He lowered his head, sobs escaping him.

He’d done nothing wrong, and even though he knew that, to be treated like a creep even for a few minutes… Jisung felt like the lowest scum on the face of the planet. Chan believed in him the whole time, but all Jisung could think about was the look of disgust on all the customer’s faces, on that smarmy fuck Kyubong, who was no doubt going to use it as a nail in the coffin for not only Jisung, but _Chan’s Room_ as a whole. Frustrated, Jisung hung his head and let out a growl that morphed into a choked out sob.

A quiet meow broke him out of his thoughts and he raised his head, vision blurry from a sudden onset of hot tears that were going to create ugly track marks on his makeup. Confused, Jisung wiped his eyes as he felt a pair of paws press themselves to his knees. It was a Birman cat, its blue eyes shining bright in the dark. “Oh… Hello,” he greeted hoarsely. “Are you a stray too?” he held out his ring adorned fingers, letting the Birman sniff them.

The Birman paused and looked at Jisung’s fingers, and the Host wasn’t sure if he could handle being rejected by a cat, too the way the night was going. To his surprise, however, the Birman bypassed his fingers and instead leapt up into his lap, snuggling close and rubbing his head against the underside of Jisung’s chin. A low rumble vibrated from the Birman cat, and Jisung realized belatedly that the cat was trying to comfort him.

“Are you trying to cheer me up?” he asked gently, receiving an affirmative purr in response. “That’s really sweet of you…” Carefully, Jisung began to pet the Birman, impressed that its cream coloured coat was as clean as it was. There was something calming about petting a cat, Jisung knew it well when he’d feel brave enough to get pets from strangers on the street. A smile creased his tinted lips as the Birman licked his chin. “I better get going, I still have a job to do. Do you want to come inside? It’s warmer.”

The Birman appeared to think about it before shaking its head and licked Jisung’s cheek before hopping out of his arms and down onto the back alley street. He meowed at the host, flicking its fluffy tail before disappearing down the street, seemingly on a mission to go somewhere else. Jisung couldn’t help but laugh; what a strange cat.

“Okay, Han Jisung, get your shit together,” he muttered, rising to his feet and straightening out his hanbok. He slapped his cheeks, pulling out his phone to make sure that his makeup wasn’t totally ruined by his little breakdown. “This is go-time, Chan-hyung and Sannie-hyung need you. And you need this.” With a deep inhale and exhale, Jisung nodded and headed back inside, closing the door firmly behind him.

What awaited him when he came back was as crazy as the scene he left: in the time that he had gone outside and tried to calm himself down, Park Bogum and Park Seojoon along with their very elite entourage had entered, joining San and Chan’s customers and Lee Taemin and Kim Seokjin for what was one hell of a group appointment. Instead of guests, Bogum, Seojoon, Seokjin and Taemin were behaving like hosts, entertaining the ‘civilians’ while making the food and drink flow like water.

Chan noticed him immediately and hurried over, concern etched on his face. Jisung felt calm wash over him as soon as the Black Cat came over; he could always count on Chan to steady him. “How are you feeling, Jisung?” he asked softly.

“I’m okay,” Jisung confirmed, smiling. “Just needed a minute. We only got an hour left. Ready to make the big push?”

Surprise registered on the older man’s face before nodding. “Let’s get it!” He laughed and bumped fists with Jisung, setting the final part of the evening into motion. The final push included a special performance with San, Chan and Jisung joining Taemin with the songs chosen were influenced by drink and food orders. While Chan felt incredibly stupid and out of place, he gave it his best shot and his fumbling seemed to be endearing enough that it was worth it.

“All right everyone!” Kyubong yelled as a loud klaxon siren sounded, signalling the end of the night, right at the stroke of midnight. “We have been keeping a close tally of the revenue from both Bars and we’ve got a winner! Just need to confirm with _Star Shine_ so if you could please be patient!”

Chan exhaled deeply and put his arms around both Jisung and San, needing the support more than he thought he did. “Here we go,” he murmured. “I hope they counted properly.”

San’s eyes were sharp as he watched the Representatives discuss over a secure video call line. “Look at their faces; they’re not happy. I think we might’ve done it,” he whispered. “Wait — what’s Taemin-ssi doing?”

The three young Hosts watched with slackened jaws as Taemin slinked over to Kyubong, watching with bright orangey-yellow eyes. “Oh, don’t mind me,” he said airily, “just wanted to see how it was all added up.” He smiled. “That’s okay, isn’t it?”

Kyubong’s eyes widened. “Y-Yeah, yes, of course!” Clearly panicked, Kyubong returned to the calculations with some other staff members from the Commission, unable to do anything with Taemin and subsequently Seojoon there, watching with feigned curiosity. “W-We have a winner and it has been confirmed on both sides!” he swallowed and seemed to be looking into one of the other cameras, not the main set. “And… i-in a stunning … absolutely stunning upset… _Chan’s Room_ has taken it with an impressive 214 million won take to _Star Shine’s_ 151 million!”

Silence stretched until Chan let out a thoroughly inelegant whoop and grabbed both San and Jisung in his arms, swinging the around with a surprising amount of strength. “We did it!” Chan exclaimed, laughing in disbelief. “You guys were amazing!”

“So were you!” San exclaimed back, in disbelief himself. “The way you handled all their dirty tricks, you’re incredible, hyung!”

“I can’t believe it,” Jisung breathed. “We took them down!”

Chan exhaled shakily, his hands trembling as he held onto the two other hosts tightly. “I’ve … I’ve gotta go and get Felix and Hyunjin before something happens. You two okay to hold down the fort here?”

San and Jisung nodded, the adrenaline running high. “Yeah, go and get them before something happens,” San agreed. “With Seokjin-ssi and the others here, we’ll be okay.”

“Thank you, both of you. — Jisung, you’ve got a job here for life if you want it!” Chan said as he hurried to grab his coat. As he hurried out the door, he noticed that he wasn’t alone and smiled seeing Seokjin was behind him. “Hyung, thank you.”

Seokjin waved a hand. “I’ve been wanting to stick it to Sungho for years,” he said. “He tried the same thing with _Moon_ and I hold grudges. Let’s go; it’ll be quicker if we go with my car.” Chan, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, nodded quickly and followed Seokjin, the pair driving through the bustling Seoul streets to _Star Shine_.

It wasn’t a moment too soon as the atmosphere inside of _Star Shine_ was so thick that one could cut it with a knife. Chan frowned as he saw Sungho tearing into Hyunjin and Felix, with the latter looking like he was ready to either burst into tears or sock the man in the jaw. Or both, if he knew Felix. “That’s enough!” Chan interrupted, bringing the attention to the front of the Bar. “It’s over, Mr. Kim. Hyunjin and Felix aren’t employees of _Star Shine_ anymore.” He moved quickly, standing in between the two hosts and the red-in-the-face Owner. “That was the terms of the deal and over a hundred thousand people heard you agree to them.”

Sungho turned his anger towards Chan, thoroughly infuriated that the young man wasn’t flinching from his bluster. “Who do you think you are?! Bringing in _Kim Seokjin_ , _Lee Taemin_ , _Park Seojoon_ and _Park Bogum!_ That’s dirty pool using _celebrities_. I would have won if I had fucking hosts worth a damn!”

Chan’s eyes flashed with anger. “We did nothing that wasn’t within the rules,” he replied evenly, feeling both Hyunjin and Felix’s hands grasp the patterned sleeves of his hanbok. “You tried every dirty trick in the book to win and we still came out on top. And I’m going to make damn sure that you never hurt Felix or Hyunjin again. If you try and come after us again or if you try to get out of what you owe us for this, we’re going to fight back and we’re going to _keep_ fighting back.” He turned and gave Hyunjin and Felix a warm smile, completely different from the fiery righteousness he had with Sungho. “Let’s go, guys. Do you need to grab anything? Are you okay?”

Quickly, Felix shook his head after sharing a look with Hyunjin. “I’m… I’m fine. N-No, we’re good to get the hell out of here,” Felix replied, finally finding his voice.

“Hyunjin, you okay?” Chan asked carefully, ignoring the continued yelling from Sungho in his right ear.

Carefully, the blond-haired host nodded. “Y-Yeah, I’m okay. L-Let’s go.” He flinched as he heard Sungho call his name, and he tightened his fist on Chan’s sleeve. “Please.”

“We’re gone,” Chan confirmed as he led the two younger men towards Seokjin, who tossed a smirk to Sungho before leading everyone out and to his vehicle. “Thanks again for driving us, hyung. I really appreciate it.”

Seokjin smiled as he watched from the rearview mirror Felix and Hyunjin cling to Chan who sat in the middle of the back seat. “My pleasure. I’ll be calling you soon with that favour you owe me,” he teased.

Chan laughed softly and looked between Felix and Hyunjin who seemed to finally be relaxing once they were putting distance between themselves and _Star Shine_ , a relieved smile on his lips. “Yeah, whatever you need I’m in.” Once they were back and Chan said his goodbyes and thanks again to Seokjin, Chan escorted the two young men into the Bar, which was now emptied and leaving just San and Jisung. “Welcome to _Chan’s Room_ ,” he said as the door closed behind them. “We’re a pretty small operation but I hope you guys enjoy working — oof!” he laughed as he was suddenly pulled into a giant group hug, with Felix attached right to his left side.

“Thank you,” Felix whispered, burying his face against Chan’s neck. “Channie… thank you.”

“I said I’d never leave you behind, Lix,” Chan whispered back. He gave the Lynx a squeeze before addressing the others. “Let’s have a celebratory drink! Everybody in the middle. I’ll make some _Haven_ for everybody and we’ll finish up the rest of the food so it doesn’t go to waste. How does that sound?”

After receiving some affirmative shouts, Chan smiled and extricated himself from the hug, going to get what he needed. He watched with a fond smile as San and Jisung excitedly began to talk to Hyunjin, gently pulling the other two out of their shellshocked states. “I look forward to working with you,” San said to Hyunjin, holding out a hand. “But don’t get it twisted: I’m the number one host in Seoul, you’re just a very close number two.”

Hyunjin’s blond brows knitted together before he suddenly realized what had been said and he let out a loud exclamation. “Yah! You wish you mangy fur ball!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll avenge your _second_ loss to me someday,” San teased. “Maybe in a hundred years!”

“Shut up!” Hyunjin wailed, lightly hitting San in the chest with a smack. “You got lucky!”

Chan laughed as he brought everything over, setting it down on the large table. The energy had shifted to something warm and the relief that permeated the room was more than welcome. As he looked around at the four hosts, Chan’s smile widened and he felt his heart swell with affection: things were starting to come together. This was one birthday that definitely went Chan's way, and he would hold the memory of this night in his heart for many years to come.

As he caught Felix’s green eyed gaze, the Lynx’s lips broke out into a wide smile and Chan’s heart did a flip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! How we all doing? Sound off in the comments! I love hearing from everyone! 
> 
> hey there's that Birman again ....


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With God's Menu newly unveiled and undergoing renovations, Chan and Felix try and adapt to the ever-changing landscape that is their lives... and their feelings for each other.
> 
> As the hosts work temporarily out of a new space, the realities of how society views were-cats comes back to hit them in the face.

It wasn’t until early morning that Chan and Felix were able to head back to their apartment, the celebration of the newly dubbed _God’s Menu_ (“Chan-hyung, is it too much to ask if my customers want to eat me like a main dish?” “Yes it is, Jisung.”) going until the very early hours of Sunday morning. Chan looked up at the sunrise, smiling brightly as he raked a hand through his dark hair. He glanced over at Felix, noting that there was a faint blush colouring the younger were-cat’s cheeks.

“You all right, Felix?” Chan asked kindly, giving the blond a bit of a nudge with his elbow. “I know you had your first real drink tonight.”

“I-I’m fine,” Felix stammered, burrowing his face into the high collar of his jacket. There was no way in hell that he was going to tell Chan that the reason for his blush was standing right next to him. “It’s just… a lot to process, y’know? From this morning with the Bar being trashed and I… I’m gonna be honest, cuz, I totally panicked. That was like… the first time I realized that this could be really serious.”

Chan nodded, frowning. “I panicked too,” he admitted quietly. “We just jumped into this and it’s worked out so far, but what if we weren’t able to pull it out? You… we’d … we’d both be in a pretty bad spot.”

Felix made a soft sound, nodding. “Yeah, exactly. I guess it’s… easier now, we’re all in the same spot. But I just… I don’t know, I feel like…”

“…there’s something hanging over us?” Chan finished softly, looking over at the younger man with his dual coloured eyes.

“…Yeah.” Felix looked back at Chan, eyes trailing to the litany of earrings that decorated Chan’s right ear. One in particular always caught his attention, one that looked so similar to his. He chewed on his lip as they neared their apartment complex. “Chan, I… -- wait, what the fuck?” Frowning, Felix pulled away from Chan and hurried over to the front door of the apartment complex they lived in, yanking a paper off the front door. “Channie-hyung! Look!”

Concerned now, Chan jogged up the remaining distance and looked down at the paper Felix handed him. “Condemnation notice?!” he exclaimed in disbelief. “They took everything out of the building due to health and safety code violations… all our stuff’s in storage at this address.” He cursed under his breath. “We’re going to have to live at the Bar for now.”

Felix blinked. “We can?”

“Yeah, there’s … there’s space on the top floor and in the basement,” Chan explained. “I think the top part used to be some kind of apartment suite, same with the bottom. It’s not great, but …”

“We’re desperate,” Felix agreed with a sigh. “Well… let’s go get our stuff…”

Chan rubbed the back of his neck, and the sight of the blood red, broken heart charm that dangled from his right ear, again caught Felix’s eyes. Chan never talked about it, and Felix didn’t know how to ask about it without sounding like a complete tool. (How would I even ask that?) Felix asked himself in disbelief. (“Hey Channie-hyung, we have the same earring! Weird, right?” The fuck. I’d sound insane.)

But would it be as insane as the earring he’d had affixed to his left ear for as long as he’d been alive? Back in Australia, when he’d searched why he’d been born with one earring, the search results only gave him more questions and somehow led back to him being horribly ill. He stopped looking to Google for the answers to anything after that.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Chan sighed himself. “There’s a car rental place nearby; I’m going to rent a truck or maybe a van … that should be enough to carry everything. We didn’t really have a lot in the apartment.”

Felix nodded. “Sounds good. Can you even drive, though?”

“Somehow they gave me a licence,” Chan replied with a laugh. “A guy I used to run … well, probably some pretty shady errands when I was a kid taught me how to under the table.”

“No! You were driving when you were 10?” Felix was in disbelief.

“Maybe close to 12, but yeah,” Chan admitted, giggling into his hand. “Don’t tell anyone but I also did some drag racing.”

“No!”

“Yeah, that one’s a lie.” Chan laughed again as he led them the (relatively) short distance to the car rental place, with Chan managing to get a truck with a relatively big bed that could fit their mattress and other belongings. They were both running on fumes, so by the time they picked up everything and were making their way back around to _God’s Menu_ , Chan had also gotten them some extra strong coffees and coffee shop pastries to snack on. “Ugh, why is this so heavy…” Chan grunted as he and Felix lugged the mattress up the stairs to the top floor.

Felix snorted. “Are you telling me those muscles and those abs are just for show?”

Chan groaned and pressed his head to the mattress’ side. “I don’t have abs!” he protested, grunting and adjusting his grip on the mattress. Felix nearly dropped his end of it as he stupidly spared a glance to Chan’s bulging biceps, Hoseok’s gorgeous artwork almost mocking him tat they could touch Chan’s skin and Felix couldn’t. “We’re almost there… just a bit more… okay! Drop it on three! One … two… three!”

A loud WHUMP! Resounded throughout the empty upper floor, which seemed to have 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom and a lot of space for furniture that they didn’t really have. Slowly but surely, Chan and Felix brought up the rest of their belongings, and mapping out what the space could be used for.

Felix paused and looked at Chan. “What’s with this spot?”

“Oh, that’s for Jisung,” Chan explained as he smoothed out the sheet that he’d laid on the floor. “I don’t know if you caught it, but he’s mentioned more than a couple times that his own living situation is kind of up in the air. Once I talked to you and if you were okay with it, I was gonna offer him a place to stay here, but I hadn’t gotten the upper area into any sort of livable condition, so I was holding off on offering until we talked and this space looked … well, livable. What do you think?”

Felix blinked and crouched down beside Chan. “Jisungie’s in trouble?”

Chan hummed, tilting his head from side to side. “I wouldn’t call it _trouble_ , but I think wherever he’s staying isn’t going to be where he’s staying for long. Seems like it’s… I think he’s sleeping in the basement of a music club right now, under the guise of working on music there.”

“Wait, _that’s_ what he meant by falling asleep at the studio? How’d you get ‘I’m sleeping illegally in a music club’s studio’ from that?” Felix asked, baffled.

“It’s not so much the words, but how they feel,” Chan explained carefully. “It’s hard to explain, but when he was saying ‘I keep falling asleep at the studio because I go there so late, the studio owner is getting annoyed with me’, his emotions are saying ‘I sleep there because no one’s there from 12-7 a.m. but I’m running out of time before I’m found out’.” Sitting down on the sheet, Chan sighed softly. “Plus… he might take it the wrong way. Like it’d be pity. Which it isn’t.” He looked over at Felix, eyes full of concern and conflict. “What do you think?”

Felix was silent for a long moment, joining Chan down on the sheet, crossing his legs. “I don’t really know Jisung that well, but maybe we should wait until he says something explicitly about needing a place to stay? Otherwise we’re going to look like we’re pitying him.”

Chan nodded. “You’re right.”

“…you look like you’re thinking about something else.”

“Ah,” Chan started, looking like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I was just… I was thinking about… how to help other strays, like us. So if anybody’s in trouble… the way we were, that maybe we could help them.”

Felix’s brows furrowed as he followed Chan’s train of thought; the older Black Cat had repeatedly mentioned about making the Bar somewhere people of any background could come and feel safe, but this was the first time he mentioned something specific. “Like… some kind of… stray cat sanctuary?”

“Sort of? Like we could be a resource for them to get back on their feet,” Chan explained. “There’s the Bar and it’s day-to-day operation but maybe we could make use of the other spaces we have. It’s just… something I’ve been thinking about, a direction.”

A small smile came to Felix’s lips; he didn’t need Chan’s uncanny ability to read emotions to know that the Black Cat was putting himself out there, looking for Felix’s feedback. “It’s a good goal,” he said finally. “I… I definitely want to make sure no one goes through what we did. But I don’t know how good we’d … I’d… be at helping people.”

Chan smiled. “We can’t solve everyone’s problems, but we can listen. We can give them a direction, and sometimes… that’s enough. – but that’s a long-term goal. Right now, what’s our first order of business?”

Surprised to be asked directly for his input, Felix’s brain helpfully short-circuited. “Uh, well… we’ve got five hosts and we need to repair the kitchen and the bar. So we’d have to balance taking appointments with just drinks for a little while as the repairs are being done. Or we… or we like, close for a couple weeks and revamp everything. But everybody’s got bills to pay…” Felix grunted and rubbed his head.

“Hang on a second…” Chan pushed himself up and disappeared downstairs for a few minutes before returning with a couple of black notebooks. “This might make it clearer. So here’s the accounting book, here’s food and drink inventory… and here’s what we took from the competition – about 365 million won. A lot of that will probably be used to repair the bar and the kitchen, but we’ll get estimates from contractors and stuff. So we should be left with a pretty decent reserve pool for emergencies and paying San, Jisung, Hyunjin and ourselves. Make sense?”

“Surprisingly, yeah,” Felix said, blinking owlishly. “We really gotta get a computer, hyung.”

“One thing at a time,” Chan replied, chuckling. “So first order of business is to get estimates from contractors to fix the kitchen, and the bar. We’ll have a meeting with Hyunjin, San, and Jisung, and figure out the new pay structure.”

Felix nodded. “Right, we’ll revamp the website, and add everybody’s photos and head shots and stuff… need new photos, then. All of mine are property of _Star Shine_ , same with Hyunjin-hyung’s.”

Chan ran his tongue along his bottom lip, looking thoughtful. “Hoseok-hyung’s boyfriend is a photographer; I can see what his rates are and if he’s available.” He pulled out his cellphone.

 **Channie [8:10 a.m.]  
** Morning, Hoseok-hyung!  
We won the competition so I’m not out of a job yet  
I have a question for you – can you ask Yoongi-hyung to contact me?  
We need photos done for our new hosts… well, all of us  
And I recall Yoongi-hyung mentioning that he’s a photographer  
Can he text me his rates/availability?  
Thank you! 

**Hobi-hyung [8:20 a.m.]  
** Hi Channie!   
That’s awesome!   
Yeah, I’ll give Yoonie your number. 

**Channie [8:22 a.m.]  
** Thank you! 

**Hobi-hyung [8:25 a.m.]  
** I’ll make sure he gives you the friend discount

 **Channie [8:27 a.m.]  
** I can pay his full rate

 **Hobi-hyung [8:30 a.m.]  
** Hehe  
Ok! He’ll be texting you shortly. 

**Channie [8:30 a.m.]  
** Thank you!  
Love you

 **Hobi-hyung [8:31 a.m.]  
** Love you too, Channie!   
Mwah! 

**Channie [8:32 a.m.]  
** Have you told Yoongi-hyung about the soulmate earring yet?

 **Hobi-hyung [8:33 a.m.]  
** Have you told Felix?

 **Channie [8:32 a.m.]  
** Fair enough

Chan smiled and locked his phone, surprised when a call came through instead of the text Hoseok mentioned. He answered it and pressed the phone to his ear. “This is Bang Chan, good morning.”

“Morning,” Yoongi greeted. “Hob-ah said you needed something?”

“Ah, you mentioned you were a photographer? We’re looking to getting head shots and the like done for our new roster at _God’s Menu_ ,” Chan explained. “Can you text me your rates and when you’re available? We can pay the proper rate so don’t listen to Hoseok-hyung about some kind of friend discount.”

Yoongi laughed. “So that’s what that was about. He threatened me with a breakup if I wasn’t nice to you.”

Chan let out a horrified sound of surprise. “Oh god, I’m so sorry.”

“Hobi is a drama queen,” Yoongi replied, chuckling. “Yeah, let me take a look at the schedule when I’m at the office and I’ll shoot you a text. I can reach you at this number?”

“Yeah, anytime,” Chan confirmed.

“Perfect. I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you! Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.” Chan exhaled and looked over at Felix. “Seokjin-hyung was right; I shouldn’t be so afraid to use the connections I’ve made.”

Felix smiled. “You really are amazing with people, hyung. You sell yourself short so much. Yeah, we’re all pitching in and helping where we can, but … like, it wouldn’t be possible if you weren’t so good at what you were doing, if you didn’t…” He appeared embarrassed, fiddling with the ring on his hand. “If… you didn’t… make people want to be better versions of themselves.”

Chan’s eyes widened and the Black Cat tightened his grip on his phone. “I don’t know… if I do _that_ , maybe as a warning, ‘don’t end up like this guy’, but…” He let out a sound of surprise as Felix was suddenly up in his face, bright green eyes alight with determination. “F-Felix?” His cheeks warmed up as the Lynx were-cat cupped them in his hands.

“Every single good thing that has happened to you has been because you’ve busted your ass and deserve a break from the universe,” Felix said seriously. “I don’t know who told you that you don’t deserve it, but they’re full of shit. You deserve to be happy, and you deserve for this to be successful, same as me.”

“Lix…”

“—No,” Felix interrupted, shaking his head and keeping Chan’s dual-hued gaze in his. “No ‘Lix’-ing this away. You deserve good things happening to you. You work really damn hard and you put yourself above everybody else. So… so when you get like this, I’m gonna kick you in the ass and make you realize that it’s okay to enjoy it. Go for what you want!”

Chan’s expression was unreadable for a long moment before he became embarrassed and reached up to rest his larger hands over Felix’s much smaller ones. As he slowly lowered Felix’s hands from his cheeks, his lips brushed against the younger man’s fingertips and Felix felt his own cheeks begin to heat up. Once he released Felix’s hands, one of Chan’s hands reached up to touch Felix’s cheek, long, tattooed fingers idly playing with the earring affixed to his left ear. The blond’s heartbeat began to pick up, eyes trying to keep Chan’s gaze affixed on him but having a hard time figuring out if he was staring _too_ hard.

“Is it … really okay for me to go for what I want?” Chan asked quietly. “Even if… it means things will change forever?”

“Channie… of course it—” Never in his life did he hate the sound of his ringtone than in that moment. Though he tried his best to ignore it, Felix knew the moment was gone the second Chan’s eyes lost that hopefulness and remained the soft mask he always wore. Sighing internally, Felix picked up his phone and saw Hyunjin’s Caller ID flashing at him with the Host’s candid selfie staring back at him. At Chan’s nod, Felix unlocked his phone and answered, putting it on speakerphone. “Hyunjin-hyung? I’ve got you on speaker. It’s pretty early, are you—”

“…Can you come, Yongbokie?” Hyunjin asked quietly. “You and Channie… can you come? … now? Please…?”

Immediately, Felix shot to his feet, followed quickly by Chan. “Hyunjin, are you at your apartment?” Chan asked urgently. “Are you all right?”

“Please hurry?” Hyunjin asked quietly, the call cutting off shortly afterwards.

Chan looked at his phone’s clock. “We have the truck for a little while longer. Let’s go.” Felix nodded and shoved his phone in his pocket, following Chan as they practically flew down the stairs, grabbing their shoes and jackets, taking off towards Hyunjin’s apartment. Felix held onto Chan’s hand tightly as they ran up the stairs – Felix had known Hyunjin’s apartment code ever since they started working closely together at _Star Shine_ – and as they reached the Host’s apartment, it was clear why Hyunjin sounded so scared.

Several men in black suits were standing outside of Hyunjin’s door, and a few of them looked familiar to Felix – they were goons from _Star Shine_. The others, he didn’t know. Before Felix could move, Chan shook his head and gestured for Felix to stay back, pressed against the wall just before the corner turned. He put a finger to his lips and leaned forward, trying to hear what the men were saying.

“I’m about five seconds from kicking this door in and taking your mangy freakshow ass to the auction myself,” the man in charge snapped. “I don’t think I can even get as much money for a fuckin’ Cheetah as I could for a Snow Leopard, but some asshole is going to pay to make up what you owe Kim Sungho.”

Chan’s eyes narrowed and he felt Felix’s hand tighten in his own. “We have to do something,” Felix whispered urgently, “they’re going to sell Hyunjin-hyung!”

“I know. — I’m going to use my magic. But I need you to think about _literally anything else_ than what you sense from me, okay?” Chan explained softly, his voice almost inaudible. He dug around in his pocket and pulled out a twig of juniper. “Sniff this and keep sniffing it; it’ll keep you distracted.” Waiting until Felix nodded in understanding, Chan pressed the twig into his hand, and turned his attention back to the six men that were baring down on Hyunjin’s door.

He flicked open the top three buttons of his shirt, pressing a hand to his Black Cat Mark and closed his eyes, concentrating on finding Hyunjin’s emotional centre. It wasn’t difficult; the young man was terrified out of his mind and it was permeating through the walls of his apartment. Any hesitation that Chan felt about using his power like this evaporated when it came once he felt Hyunjin’s fear; he was important to Felix, and he was important to Chan - he’d do whatever it took to keep him safe. As soon as he had a grasp of Hyunjin’s emotional energy, he transferred to each and every one of the men that were banging down on his door.

The effect was immediate: one by one, each of the men became paralyzed with fear and fainted. Chan had amplified Hyunjin’s already palpable fear and infused it into every pore of their beings. As soon as the last body hit the floor from shock, Chan turned his attention to Felix. “Are you all right?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

Felix looked up at him with wide eyes, but he wasn’t paralyzed like the others. “Y-Yeah, I’m okay. What did you do?”

“I showed them how they made Hyunjin felt. – They won’t be like that forever, though; let’s get Hyunjin and get the hell out of here.” At Felix’s nod, Chan pushed himself up and with the Lynx in tow, hurried over to Hyunjin’s door. “Hyunjin! It’s Felix and Bang Chan. Can you open the door?”

There was a series of crashes and bangs, but suddenly the door swung open, revealing a puffy-eyed Hyunjin who was clutching a backpack in his other arm. “C-Channie-h-hyung, Yongbokie! I … I’m…”

Felix quickly pulled Hyunjin into a tight hug, with Chan wrapping his arms around them both. “You’re okay,” Felix promised. “You’re coming with us, okay? Do you need to grab anything else?”

Hyunjin shook his head. “N-No, it’s all… it doesn’t matter.”

“You should probably grab whatever you can of his clothes,” Chan suggested, holding Hyunjin close to his chest as Felix extricated himself from the hug. “I think I see a roller case over there.”

“Right, good call,” Felix agreed, quickly throwing open Hyunjin’s closet and throwing in whatever he could get his hands on – casual clothes, host clothes, underwear, all of it – until the case couldn’t handle anymore. “Let’s go!”

“We’re gone. Hang in there, Hyunjin,” Chan said, keeping his arm around Hyunjin’s shaking shoulders, leading the young man down to the truck, with Felix ensuring the door was locked and closed. It was a silent ride back to _God’s Menu_ , but Chan and Felix both felt it was for the best; Hyunjin was in no shape to talk.

It wasn’t until they’d gotten Hyunjin upstairs and with a cup of hot tea that the shock seemed to wear off enough that he raised his head to look at Chan and Felix. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I, um, I can explain.”

Felix shook his head. “You don’t have to if you don't wanna,” he assured the older man, smiling warmly.

“No, I … I should,” Hyunjin protested, gripping the mug and watching the steam rise from the hot liquid. He hesitated, though, and looked over at Chan, as if to gauge if the Black Cat would suddenly be disgusted with him.

A brief look of confusion flit across Chan’s handsome features before it clicked and he shook his head gently. “This is a safe space,” he promised, taking great care to keep his voice gentle and firm in its conviction. “Whatever you say, stays here and I promise that I won’t think any less of you, same with Felix. It’s not going to change that you’re a host here and it’s not going to change that we’re friends. Right, Lix?”

Nodding quickly, Felix placed a hand on Hyunjin’s knee. “That’s right. — take your time, hyung.”

Surprise coloured Hyunjin’s face and his golden orange eyes, and he gripped the mug tighter, taking a long sip of the tea before nodding. “I, um … Mr. Kim, he … took me in when I was 16. Scouted me off the street to work at _Star Shine_. I was, guess I still am … I’m a stray. I didn’t have anywhere to go, and I was so grateful for somewhere to stay, somewhere to work, that I …” He frowned, tightening his grip on the mug again. “I didn’t realize the contract I signed was… was so … bad.”

Hyunjin couldn’t expand further, and if Chan was honest, he didn’t need to. Felix hugged the other man tightly, rubbing his arm comfortingly. “So he wanted to try and get the rest of the balance that you ‘owed’ him by… I see,” Chan said softly, shaking his head. “How unbelievably cruel.”

“Hyung, you can stay here, with us. — Right? Chan-hyung. He can, right?” Felix asked, looking over Hyunjin’s golden blond hair.

“Of course,” Chan agreed, no hesitation in his voice as he gently rubbed Hyunjin’s neck, smiling warmly when the young man visibly relaxed. “You can stay with us as long as you need to.” He glanced over at the bed. It was definitely not big enough for him and Felix, but it would be big enough for Hyunjin and Felix. “You two can take the bed.”

Felix started. “Where are you going to sleep, hyung? Still in your cat form?” A part of Felix felt guilty; Chan hadn’t slept in his own bed as a human since they’d met.

Chan nodded, confirming Felix’s fear. “Yeah, it’s fine. You two have been through a lot, and need your rest. It’s not bad, sleeping as a cat.” He smiled, continuing to gently rub Hyunjin’s neck. “So you’re a Cheetah, Hyunjin? That’s pretty cool.” He laughed softly. “Between you and Felix, I’m outnumbered! At least Sannie is another Black Cat… and Jisungie is a Chimera. Maybe if we band together…” He winked.

It was faint, but Chan could see a small smile crease Hyunjin’s bitten-red lips. “Right, Yongbokie is a Lynx…” He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, exhaling shakily. “I don’t know why… I didn’t think of just… _running_. It’s the one thing I’m good at.”

“You’re good at a lot of things!” Felix insisted, hugging him tighter and nuzzling him. Hyunjin smiled and rested his head against Felix’s, finally relaxing in the other were-cat’s arms. “Hyung, about opening tonight…”

Chan nodded slightly. “Yeah. I was thinking of closing today after the competition if we won … and now, I agree that’s definitely the right call. I’ll text San and Jisung.” He smiled and pushed himself up. “I’ve gotta get some things in motion for the repairs on the bar, so if you’ll excuse me.” He winked. “Play nice, you two.”

Hyunjin looked over at Felix then back over to Chan’s retreating form as the older man headed down to the main level of _God’s Menu_ with his shopkeeping notebooks in tow. “…have you _still_ not asked him out?”

Felix groaned and buried his face in Hyunjin’s neck. “Shut up!” He huffed and playfully nipped the Cheetah were-cat on the neck, on the other side from where a mate would bite Hyunjin. “It’s not that easy!”

“It’s _so_ easy,” Hyunjin scoffed. “Bang Chan, Christopher Bang, love of my life and guy I won’t stop blathering to Hyunjin-hyung about, will you date me so that Hyunjin will finally know peace?”

“Shut your _whole_ face.”

“Well if you’re not going to ask him out, I’m going to.”

“You wouldn’t _dare_.”

~ * ~

Jisung raised an eyebrow and looked over at Chan, as the five Hosts stood outside an empty mansion on the outskirts of one of the richer districts. “Chan-hyung. I love you, I would trust you with my metaphorical children, but what the hell are we doing here?”

“I thought you said you were going to show us where our temporary location for the Bar is going to be,” Hyunjin added, arms folded.

San and Felix shared a look and grinned. “You guys haven’t figured it out yet?” Felix asked, unable to keep the grin from widening on his lips.

“This _is_ our temporary location,” San finished, laughing at the looks on Jisung and Hyunjin’s faces at the realization.

Suddenly, Jisung and Hyunjin both grabbed at Chan’s sleeves, tugging on them incessantly. “This place is _haunted!_ Is this because I said that you wouldn’t look good as a blond? I didn’t mean it!” Jisung apologized quickly, his eyes wide. “Please don’t leave us here to die! I don’t want to die with Hyunjin!”

“How _dare_ you—”

Chan snorted. “No, it’s — wait, you said _what?_ ” He shook his head; he wouldn’t let himself get carried away by Jisung’s antics. “Halloween is coming up and it’s my favourite holiday. With the Bar under renovations for the next couple of weeks, we need a space. The owners of this place rent it out for parties and stuff; there’s a full kitchen and we can easily bring the liquor over here so I was thinking of doing a two week stint here for Halloween and if the work takes longer, we can do some _Nightmare Before Christmas_ mishmash going into November.”

“But it’s _haunted_ ,” Jisung insisted.

A snort came from behind him and Jisung jumped three feet into the air, hanging onto Chan like a koala. “This place ain’t haunted,” Yoongi said, adjusting his hold on his backpack. “You kids ready to roll?”

Chan smiled and nodded. “We’re ready. Thanks for coming on such short notice, hyung. I’m surprised Hobi-hyung didn’t come with you.”

Yoongi chuckled and shook his head. “He was gonna then he heard I was meeting you at this mansion and said no way in hell.” He nodded to the other Hosts. “Name’s Min Yoongi; I’m going to be your photographer for today. Nice to meet you.”

While the other hosts greeted Yoongi normally, Jisung’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “AGUST D…” he whispered, pointing at Yoongi. “It’s you, isn’t it? — Chan-hyung! Why didn’t you say that our photographer was AGUST D?!”

Chan blinked, baffled. “Who’s AGUST D?”

“Who is — who is AGUST D!?” Jisung echoed in disbelief. “Only like, the best underground rapper in Daegu that’s been popping up randomly in Seoul for the last couple years! He performs with RM and I always miss their shows because they’re always random!” He groaned and looked heavenward for guidance. “And now he’s here and I’m dressed like a goof.” He gestured to his host suit.

Hyunjin snorted. “There’s no guarantee that you would have looked like less of a goof if you met him literally any other time.”

Jisung narrowed his eyes. “Shut up, you pretty boy—”

“ _Enough_ ,” Chan interrupted, his stern English breaking up the bickering. “We’re not wasting Yoongi-hyung’s time with this.” He put his hands on both Hyunjin and Jisung’s heads, pushing them down to bow. “Apologize.”

While they shot each other a dirty look, Jisung and Hyunjin both weren’t about to fight Chan on this and mumbled out a twin apology to Yoongi who seemed entirely too amused by the whole situation. “Well, if you’ve got your kids with the fear of God in ‘em, let’s get this party started. I’ve scouted some pretty good locations for the individual shots, and there’s a really gorgeous drawing room that has this amazing chandelier that would look boss for the group shots. It looked like an antique _Astoria Grande_ Failand 16.”

Jisung blinked slowly and leaned over to Felix. “Oh my God AGUST D is a giant fucking nerd for lighting fixtures,” he stage whispered. 

“I mean, everybody’s gotta have something really obscure that they’re really into,” Felix replied, stifling his laugh at the other were-cat’s face. “Are you gonna be okay, mate?”

“Just… give me a minute.”

“Inside!” Chan ordered, gently but pushing the other four hosts inside the Mansion, which was a lot cleaner yet no less spooky than they expected. Under Yoongi’s expert guidance, the photoshoot went off without too much of a hitch, if one doesn’t count Jisung and Hyunjin getting the shit scared out of them by a sink turning on with neither of them near it and no one else nearby a hitch.

As Chan was positioned on a beautiful red and gold lounging chair in a study that was filled with beautifully bound hardcover books, San leaned over to Felix. “So, have you asked Channie-hyung out yet?” he asked, his voice low and deep.

Felix’s eyes widened and he nearly dropped the crystal paperweight of a crow he was fiddling with. “W-What? Why would I? Who said—”

San smirked. “You’re not subtle. But he isn’t either.”

“—what?”

“Oh come on, you can’t tell me you haven’t noticed him making moon-eyes at you this whole time,” San scoffed.

Hyunjin sighed as he leaned against the nearby wall. “I keep telling him that but does he listen to his hyungs? No.”

Jisung snickered. “If we’re not named Bang Chan I don’t think he’d listen to us anyway.”

“Will you all cram it?” Felix hissed. “That’s not funny.”

San rolled his eyes. “You two even have the same —”

“— All right, that’s a wrap!” Yoongi called, lowering his camera. “I’ll get these as soon as I can. When _God’s Menu_ is all done, give me a shout and I’ll take some interior shots for there so the website’s all up to date.”

Chan nodded and rose from his seat, bowing deeply, as did the rest of the Hosts. “Thank you so much. Email the invoice to me and I’ll take care of it.”

Yoongi nodded back and began to pack up his equipment. “I hate to shoot and run, but I’ve got another appointment to get to and I don’t want to blow this one.”

“Of course! Thank you for your time, hyung,” Chan said, bowing again. He watched as Yoongi shuffled off, easily carrying the hefty bag like it was nothing at all. “—Hyunjin, have you been uploading candid pictures to the Club’s instagram profile?”

Hyunjin waved his phone. “Done and done, hyung. So we’re really doing this here, huh? Do you think the customers are going to like it?”

“I hope so,” Chan admitted. “I don’t really hear of a lot of Host Bars taking Halloween to the extent we are, making it like a vampire masquerade, y’know? I think if we continue to stay true to us, and take some risks, we’re going to be golden, mate.”

San grinned. “Your accent really comes out when you’re excited. It’s cute. Right, Felix?” He nudged the younger man with a shit-eating grin on his lips.

“You better sleep with one eye open,” Felix replied brightly. “I know where you live.”

Confused, Chan looked between the two of them. “Everything okay?”

“—Just peachy,” Felix said, cutting San off from whatever he was going to say that was _not_ in Felix’s best interests. “We better get everything ready for tonight, eh? We don’t have a lot of time before the first set of appointments.”

Jisung groaned. “Can’t we hire movers?”

Chan pat him on the shoulder. “No. Besides, I hear it builds character.”

“Like he needs any more _character_ ,” Hyunjin muttered as he walked by, taking a quick photo of the group with himself in it.

As Jisung went to lunge after Hyunjin, Chan kept his hand tight on Jisung, keeping him in place. “Don’t.”

~ * ~

Their first night opening as _God’s Menu_ in their new location started off relatively smoothly. The regulars and new customers seemed to really vibe with how much Chan and the others were buying into the theme. Particularly, Chan and San had a higher than normal uptick in customers because of their Black Cat status, eventually blending their appointments together because of the overlap.

Felix was definitely _not_ jealous of how all of Chan’s customers were fawning over him and his rapidly-increasing-in-number tattoos. 

Definitely not.

His hackles lowered when he and Chan were requested by an international customer from Australia, who wanted to speak to his countrymen. Seated beside the customer was a young man around Felix’s age, with shaggy white, brown and gray hair and piercing, pale yellow eyes that were kept pinned to the floor. His expression was blank, but Felix could see that he flinched every time the customer moved even if it wasn’t anywhere near him.

“Channie,” Felix whispered as he leaned into Chan’s space under the guise of putting on a bit of a show for the customer; no matter who they were, they always loved a little bit of fanservice. “I’m a little worried about the guy with Mr. Seon… what’s your read on his … like, his emotions?”

Chan’s brows furrowed briefly but he quickly nodded and outwardly, to the customer, smiled and tucked a bit of Felix’s growing hair behind his ear, fingers dancing lightly against his soulmate earring. “Distract the customer, I’ll talk with him.”

Felix nodded and turned to Seon Myungdae, their international customer, turning on his brightest smile. “ _How about we switch to English for a bit? I don’t want to lose my accent while I’m here, you know?_ ”

Myungdae brightened and nodded. “ _Of course! Why, your accent is still pretty thick. Are you from Sydney?_ ”

“ _Guilty as charged_ ,” Felix replied with a laugh.

As Myungdae was distracted by Felix’s expert play on his patriotism, Chan slid over to the young man beside him and gave him a warm smile. “Would you like some water or some pop?” he asked gently. “It’s free of charge, so you don’t have to worry about…” Chan tilted his head towards Myungdae. “What’s your name?”

“…Kim Seungmin,” he replied softly. “And… t-thank you. — Mr. Seon won’t be mad?”

Chan shook his head. “He won’t be charged for it.”

Slowly, Seungmin nodded. “T-Thank you.” He swallowed and cast a worried glance at Myungdae, his clothes shifting and the tied scarf around his neck loosened. Chan’s eyes caught sight of a black, garish collar with a golden tag dangling from it and his heart stopped. “He’ll… get mad if you’re talking to me.”

Startled out of his thoughts by Seungmin’s quiet warning, Chan’s frown briefly deepened before he gave the young man a comforting smile. “You’re a guest, Seungmin, just like he is. There’s two of us here, and there’s two of you. Nothing wrong with a little chat.”

Seungmin swallowed and nodded, though he habitually threw glances towards Myungdae. The fear and anxiousness was practically radiating off the young man, and Chan’s alarm bells were beginning to ring _very_ loudly. “I’m not supposed to talk,” he whispered.

“It’s okay, if he gets mad we’ll say it’s my fault,” Chan promised. “How old are you, Seungmin?”

“Twenty,” Seungmin whispered.

_“He bought me, I hate him.”_

Chan paused; that didn’t sound like anything like the answer Seungmin gave him. “Twenty? You’re Felix’s age! You two will probably have a lot in common. I’m an old stodgy man of twenty-three myself.” He winked and looked relieved when Seungmin gave him a very tiny, but genuine smile. “How do we feel about Halloween?”

“I like it,” Seungmin replied, his smile widening just a little bit. “You… you like it a lot, huh?” He looked around the mansion. “Is this … yours?”

Chan laughed gently and shook his head. “No, we’re temporarily here while our usual place is being renovated. And I love Halloween a lot! Black Cat and all that, seemed like the right aesthetic.” He winked and brightened when Seungmin giggled, suddenly putting a hand up to cover his mouth when he felt Myungdae shift next to him. All the light left his eyes when Myungdae elbowed him hard in the side, hissing something under his breath.

_“I’m scared.”_

The Black Cat frowned. Seungmin flinched and hunched his broad shoulders up, trying to move away but kept firmly in place by Myungdae’s fingers digging into his thigh.

_“Please, help me.”_

It was definitely Seungmin’s thoughts coming into Chan’s mind through his heightened emotions. Quietly, he placed a hand on Seungmin’s leg with a silent question: _I can help you. If you want me to, just say ‘I’m sorry, I was just getting my water’ and I’ll get you away from him_.

Silence stretched and Chan wondered if this was the right play. It was risky, but there was no denying the fear and desperation in Seungmin’s inner thoughts and feelings. Seungmin swallowed and reached for the glass of water, trying not to flinch from Myungdae’s harsh glare at the movement. “I’m sorry, I was just getting my water,” he said softly but very clearly.

Suspicions confirmed, Chan quickly moved into action. “Seungmin!” he exclaimed suddenly, throwing his arms around Seungmin and pulling the young man into a tight hug once the glass of water was placed down on the table. “I didn’t realize it was you! We’ve been looking for you everywhere! Are you all right?”

Myungdae’s eyes widened and he whipped his head towards Chan and Seungmin. “What the — that’s not his name.”

“I think I would know my friend’s missing cousin that he’s been distraught over forever,” Chan countered, protectively sheltering Seungmin from Myungdae. “We’ve been trying to find Seungmin forever! There’s been media attention and everything! His mother was crying on the news. — why, why would his name be something different?”

Myungade sputtered, caught as now there were several pairs of eyes on him. “That’s… excuse me, he’s my companion not your _cousin_.”

Chan turned to Jisung who was passing by. “Ji! This is your cousin Seungmin, right? You’ve been trying to find him for a while, right?” He gave Jisung a very pointed _play along_ look and gestured with his head to the visible collar under Seungmin’s scarf.

Mercifully, Jisung caught on and with an almost perfectly done expression of dawning realization, Jisung jumped over the back of the couch and hugged Seungmin tightly, pulling him away. “Minne!” he exclaimed. “Don’t worry,” he whispered to the scared young man, “just play along; I’m gonna get you away from this creep.”

Seungmin inclined his head just slightly and trembled, hugging Jisung back just as tightly. “Ji,” he whispered, burying his face against Jisung’s shoulder. “I’ve missed you so much… I thought I’d never get to see you again!”

“Good, perfect, hang in there,” Jisung whispered, rubbing his back. He gently led Seungmin away and to one of the adjoining rooms away from the main area that they were entertaining guests. “Sorry about the theatrics,” He apologized with a sheepish grin. “If you make a big enough scene, people get super embarrassed and don’t follow.”

Seungmin nodded slowly. “Thank you. I… that guy, he… he bought me from a … it was this… were-cat warehouse? There were hundreds of us … and they’d just sell us to people who wanted pets. I just … I didn’t … I don’t have anyone, so they’d never miss me if I went missing and this guy, he just…!”

Quickly, Jisung pressed a cup of warm tea into Seungmin’s hands, holding it gently and making sure he wasn’t going to drop it before moving his hands away. “Hey, take a deep breath,” he instructed gently. “You’re okay. Chan-hyung and the others are going to make sure that guy doesn’t bother you again.”

“W-…What’s he going to do?” Seungmin asked, glancing hesitantly towards the door. “Chan… that’s his name? Chan?”

“Bang Chan,” Jisung confirmed. “I don’t know what he’ll do exactly, but he’ll probably shame that dude so hard he won’t even think of trying to find you again. If word gets out that someone brought an illegally bought were-cat to _God’s Menu_ , he’s not going to hesitate to blast that all over social media. Actually, I’d do that. But knowing Chan-hyung, he’d probably make this dude feel like absolute shit for what he did to you. He’s just got this way of making people feel exactly how they made someone else feel. It’s insane.”

Eyes wide, Seungmin nodded. “He said he was… a Black Cat. I didn’t know they were so nice.”

“Chan-hyung is super nice,” Jisung agreed.

“…I’m sorry,” Seungmin whispered. “You’re working here, aren’t you? You’re missing out on… your work, because you have to babysit me. It’s fine if you just… leave me here. I’m sure Chan’s going to… ask me to leave once Mr. Seon’s gone.”

Jisung stared at him. “What? No way!” He shook his head firmly. “No way are we gonna let you wander out there alone after some dude _bought_ you from a were-cat trafficking ring! Heck, Channie-hyung’s probably gonna try and adopt you or something.”

Seungmin looked back at him, startled. “A-Adopt?”

“I mean, not _literally_ ,” Jisung replied sheepishly. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he stood up as San entered. “What’s up?”

San gestured with his head towards the door. “You’ve got a customer and hyung’s asked me to watch over our friend here in between appointments.”

Jisung nodded and smiled at Seungmin. “This is San; he might look funny but he’s a good guy.”

“Rude.”

Seungmin gripped the mug. “Um. Is… is Mr. Seon still here?”

San shook his head. “Guy left in tears after Chan tore into him. I don’t think he’s going to come back here for you, but if he does, hyung says he has a plan.”

“I… that’s…” Seungmin looked stunned. “You guys don’t even know me.”

As he sat down beside Seungmin, San gave him a small smile. “Chan-hyung and Felix were also sold into that trafficking ring, so I think he feels stronger about what happened to you than most, and we were all ready to throw hands at that asshole on your behalf. I was gonna hex him but Chan-hyung said we should ‘be the bigger men’.” San rolled his eyes as he made finger quotes with his tattooed fingers. “I did it anyway.”

Seungmin’s lips split into a wide, satisfied grin. “Good; he deserved it. He was… he was the worst; I don’t even want to think about what he’d do with me once he took me out of the country.” He shuddered, frowning briefly.

San frowned and nodded. “The types of people that would buy a were-cat for a pet aren’t beacons of altruism, that’s for damn sure. I heard you tell Jisung that you’re a stray? Did you have somewhere you were staying before you were kidnapped?”

The younger were-cat shook his head. “No, I don’t have anywhere to return to.” He looked down at the mug of hot jasmine tea and took a long sip, sighing heavily. Frowning, he moved a hand and rubbed the rough leather collar that was fastened too tight around his neck.

“…want me to help you get that off?” San asked carefully. Realizing that yes, he could take the collar off now, Seungmin nodded quickly. The Black Cat smiled at that and nodded, rising to his feet and moving behind Seungmin, unlatching and carefully removing the collar from around the younger were-cat’s neck. “Trash can’s right over here if you want to toss it.”

Quietly, Seungmin looked down at the collar, long fingers curling around the thick black leather. His eyes narrowed suddenly and he pelted the collar into the trash can, causing the can to wobble precariously before settling back down. “Thank you.”

San whistled. “You’ve got quite an arm on you, Seungminnie.”

Seungmin didn’t see Chan or the others until the end of the night, after the last customers were escorted out the front door of the mansion. Chan came to find him first, and gave the younger were-cat a gentle smile. The energy coming off the older man was calm, warm and welcoming, and reminded Seungmin of a warm hug. Not that he really knew what a warm hug felt like, being a stray, but he felt like this must have been it.

“How are you feeling, Seungmin? Sorry about the sudden theatrics back there,” he said, sitting down beside him.

Quickly, Seungmin shook his head. “I’m … — thank you. I didn’t think that… I would ever get away from him. You didn’t even know me and you just jumped in like some kind of superhero. I… thank you.” He bowed deeply.

Embarrassed, Chan waved his hands. “No, no. Not a superhero, but I am glad we were able to get Mr. Seon away from you. If he has any self-preservation instincts, he’ll stay far away from here and far away from you.”

“…won’t he realize I’m not Jisung’s cousin?” Seungmin asked, confused. “There weren’t any news reports about me being missing.”

“I doubt he’s going to dig into it with just your first name,” Chan said, shaking his head. “He’s going to be more concerned that the roomful of people heard me say that he kidnapped you and doing damage control off that.”

Seungmin nodded carefully in understanding. “I hope so,” he whispered. Hesitantly, he looked up at Chan. “What now?”

Chan hummed and leaned back on the couch, running a hand through his hair. “Well, that depends on you. San was telling me that you don’t have anywhere to stay. Now, it’s not the Four Seasons or anything, but we’ve got some room at the Bar, on the top floor or the bottom floor if you don’t want to share the top floor space with Hyunjin, Felix and I. Don’t worry about rent, or about paying me and Felix back, we’ll take it one day at a time.”

Wiping his eyes carefully, Seungmin nodded. “I… I’d like that. Thank you.”

“Between you and me,” Chan started, leaning in and prompting Seungmin to do the same, “if I didn’t offer - which I would, by the way - Felix was going to be cross with me and I don’t know about you, but if Felix was ever mad at me, I would die.”

Seungmin couldn’t help the giggle that escaped him and Chan smiled.

~ * ~

As some kind of ‘you two are going to get along or so help me God’ type of punishment from Chan, Jisung and Hyunjin found themselves making a grocery store run as _God’s Menu_ ’s resident occupancy had now been bumped up by one and they were running low on food stuffs. Jisung muttered under his breath as he looked at the list from Chan on his phone, side-eyeing Hyunjin who seemed to be quite content to ignore him.

“You have the list, right?” he asked, dreading the answer.

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. “He sent it to both of us, of course I have it. — why, did you delete it?”

Jisung balked. “Why would I delete a text from Chan-hyung?”

“I don’t know, why would you make a fool out of yourself in front of Min-ssi? The world’s full of mysteries,” Hyunjin replied airily, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s just get this over with and get back.”

At that, the younger man snorted. “No argument here.”

Shopping with Hyunjin was mercifully painless, though they had almost been kicked out when they got into a heated argument over whether it was worth it to spend the few dollars more on a better cut of meat or just get more of the cheaper cuts. Jisung grunted as he hefted up the bags, tilting his head to the side to crack his neck, wishing he’d just stolen the cart but _noo_ , Hyunjin had to go on and on about how it was _wrong_ and that they were strong enough to carry all the groceries back themselves.

“What were you smoking when you declined hyung’s offer for us to call a taxi?” Jisung demanded as they dragged the bags off the subway. “We would’ve been back there by now!”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “Listen, noodle arms, you don’t get stronger if you don’t—” A sudden force slammed into the Host, and he fell to the ground, barely able to keep from falling on top of his groceries. “What the fuck?!”

Several young men in hoodies with the hoods pulled up and ripped up jeans surrounded the pair, only their eyes visible through the toques and scarves that covered their faces. “Give us the food!” one of them demanded.

“Fuck you, pay me for it!” Jisung snapped.

One of the young men stepped forward and socked Jisung right in the jaw, sending the Chimera were-cat stumbling backwards. He just barely had enough sense to release the bags he was holding before he caught himself and launched himself back at his assailant. Hyunjin growled and pushed himself to his feet, joining in with a sharp left hook of his own. That the two would dare fight back wasn’t something that occurred to their attackers, but it was just the excuse the others needed to pile on both Jisung and Hyunjin.

The numbers advantage quickly became apparent, but neither Jisung or Hyunjin were backing down, even when they were getting hit from all sides. Jisung was being held by two of the would-be thieves while the apparent leader grabbed his chin roughly. “Just give us the fucking food and you two get to leave with your teeth,” he ordered.

Jisung snarled and spat blood back into the face of the leader. “Fuck you, pay me!” he reiterated.

“That’s it! You two are dead!” the leader yelled. “Fucking destroy these assholes—!”

“…I don’t think you want to do that,” a soft voice said from behind him. The leader’s eyes widened and he whirled around to see a pair of young men - one with reddish brown hair and another with silvery white hair and black streaks. Both were clad in black, handkerchiefs with very specific patterning tied around their necks. “Otherwise you’re going to have to deal with Changbin and I.”

Swallowing tightly, the leader shook his head. “Lee Know… — I didn’t, this isn’t your turf, is it? Haha, weird, we just… hahah, must have made a mistake.”

The one referred to as Lee Know leaned forward with a step, the mere movement making all of the thugs to jump back as if burnt. The ones holding Jisung dropped him like a sack of potatoes, hiding behind their (fearful) leader. “Seems like you did.”

“But first, we need to repay you for what you did to these two; they were just minding their own business,” the silver-haired boy - Changbin - said lowly, tightening the gloves on his fists. “So just stay still for me. Three, two … eight… —!” Suddenly, his right fist shot out and cracked the leader straight in the jaw, causing the young man to crumple and fall into his minions like a bowling ball into unsuspecting pins.

Lee Know smirked as the would-be thieves picked themselves up and scurried off like rats in the night. He turned to Jisung and Hyunjin, who were staring back at the pair with wide eyes. “We’re not going to hurt you,” he said, expression softening. “Changbin and I aren’t going to hurt you.”

“You two okay?” Changbin asked, holding out a hand to help Hyunjin to his feet, while Lee Know did the same to Jisung. “You two really threw down with no hesitation there.”

Jisung was slow to reply; Lee Know’s steely blue eyes were a lot softer than they had been seconds ago, and it caught him off guard. More than that, they seemed familiar. Suddenly, he jolted back to reality and nodded. “Yeah, we’re okay. Nothing broken, maybe my pride. — I’m Jisung, by the way. That’s Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin nodded his thanks to Changbin and straightened his clothes out. “I’ll be pissed if the eggs are broken, but I’m fine,” he replied, loosening his hair from its messed up half-pony and re-tying it. “We owe you guys. Lee Know and Changbin? You saved us.”

Changbin waved a hand. “Those asshats are always trying shit, they had it coming. C’mon, where are you two headed? We’ll walk back with you.”

“Are you sure?” Jisung asked, casting a glance at Lee Know. “We’ll be —”

“That would be great,” Hyunjin interrupted. “If it’s not a problem for you guys, we’d really appreciate the help.”

Lee know nodded. “Not a problem; we don’t have anywhere else to be and I don’t think we’d be able to sleep if we just let you two go without making sure you’re all right. Where are you two headed?”

Jisung rubbed his neck as he picked up the bags - unable to stop Lee Know and Changbin from picking up a pair themselves - and sighed, a smile coming to his bloody lips. “ _God’s Menu_ , the Host Bar. A bunch of us live there and we were just coming back from a grocery run when those assholes jumped us.”

“You two work at a Host Bar?” Changbin echoed, blinking.

Lee Know chuckled as they began to walk the rest of the way, following Hyunjin and Jisung. “You couldn’t tell from how they look?”

Jisung huffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Changbin shrugged his shoulders. “The way they were throwing hands I wasn’t expecting them to be Hosts, that’s all.”

“I don’t know how profitable we’re going to be with all these cuts and bruises,” Hyunjin lamented as he fumbled for the keys to the Bar. “Chan-hyung! Yongbokie! Sannie! Seungminnie! We’re back! No problems here!”

“We just got into a fight and we totally lost!” Jisung added sarcastically.

“Shut _up_ ,” Hyunjin hissed.

Jisung rolled his eyes as he set his bags down. “They’re going to know something happened when they see our faces and we picked up two hot gang dudes.”

Lee Know smirked. “We’re not gang dudes.”

“You think we’re hot?” Changbin asked, clearly fixating on the more important part of the statement.

Several pairs of feet were heard thundering down the steps, with Chan leading the way, his dual coloured eyes bright with concern. “You got into a fight!?” he asked, breathless. “Are you two okay? It wasn’t with each other, was it? No, even if it was, that’s still bad!”

Changbin chuckled. “No, they got jumped by some assholes on the way out from the grocery store,” he explained. “They tried to fight back but got overrun. Lee Know and I got ‘em to turn tail and run.”

Turning to Changbin and Lee Know, Chan’s expression changed to one of relief. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “You’re welcome to stay for dinner in thanks,” he offered. “I’m Bang Chan, and this is Lee Felix, Kim Seungmin and Choi San. Thank you again for helping Hyunjin and Jisung out.”

“I’m Seo Changbin, and this is Lee Minho, but everybody calls him Lee Know,” Changbin introduced in kind. “Hey, say hello, Min.”

Minho was staring holes into Chan’s face when suddenly his blue eyes widened in realization and he pointed a finger at Chan. “You stepped on me a year and a half ago outside that old woman’s psychic shop!”

“I _what?_ ” Chan’s eyes now widened as realization dawned on him too. “I didn’t step on you — wait. _You_ were that Birman cat that demanded I pet it in apology then got offended when I did??”

Changbin threw his head back and cackled as Minho’s face heated up in embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hi to Seungmin, Changbin and Minho, everyone!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changbin and Minho meet the rest of the Hosts, and San confronts a truth he'd been running away from. Things are beginning to change at God's Menu, but at the end of the day, they have each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This. Chapter. Kicked. My. Ass. 
> 
> It's extra long as a result but I hope you all enjoy it!

Changbin threw his head back and cackled as Minho’s face heated up in embarrassment, folding his arms and looking away with a huff. “Who doesn’t see a bright white cat beneath their feet, anyway? Those eyes of yours just for show?”

“It was 3 a.m. and I was in a back alley! _No_ , I wasn’t expecting a cat to be under my foot!” Chan protested, folding his arms in protest. “Though, I guess I should thank you for stopping me; if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have seen that psychic shop and I wouldn’t have met Miss. Raven.”

Minho’s brows furrowed and he tilted his head. “What?”

Chan rubbed his neck as he unfolded his arms. “There was an old lady inside the psychic shop, she was a Black Cat too; could use divination magic. She said that it was fate I walked by that shop, that she was supposed to send me to a Black Cat named Raven who’d teach me how to use my magic. I said if I ever saw you again, I’d thank you, so … thank you, Minho.”

A bright red blush coloured Minho’s cheeks at the earnest words from Chan, and he firmly looked away while he tried to school his expression for the third time in five minutes. “I didn’t lead you there on purpose or anything,” he muttered. “I just… was making sure the old lady was okay; she gets harassed a lot by street punks.”

The Black Cat’s eyes widened at the implication and he smiled warmly. “You’re a regular ol’ softy, aren’t you?”

Minho grunted.

Changbin snickered. “He’s one of the toughest guys I know, but Min’s a total marshmallow if he likes you. — So where’s that guy you came all the way here to check up on last Saturday? Must have been pretty fucking cute for you to ditch out on me.”

“Shut your fucking _mouth_ ,” Minho hissed.

Confused, Chan turned to San and Jisung. “I didn’t see him here last week… that was the Host Bar battle. Did any of you?”

San shook his head, and Jisung initially shook his head but recognition dawned on his features and he almost dropped the warm cloth that Felix had given him to clean up the blood on his face. “You… you’re a Birman were-cat?” Jisung asked Minho carefully.

“…Yeah,” Minho confirmed, though he was looking literally everywhere else but at Jisung. “What about it?”

Jisung fell silent, looking down at the bloodied cloth and hesitated for a moment before setting the cloth down on a nearby table. Suddenly, he strode forward and after a pause of staring at Minho, threw his arms around the older man in a tight hug. “Thank you,” Jisung whispered softly. “For what you did that night. I … really, I … I really needed that. Thank you, Minho.”

Felix’s hands flew to his mouth to stifle a gasp, while San and Chan’s mouths dropped in shock. “Minho was the cat that comforted you out in the alley after that customer…” Chan’s voice trailed off in shock.

“That’s really nice of you,” Hyunjin said, a small smile creasing his split lip. “Jisung told us that he was spiralling pretty badly but this Birman cat helped pull him back out and grounded him. Thank you.”

Surprised that Hyunjin wasn’t making some kind of crack about his moment of weakness, Jisung pulled away from Minho and nodded. Embarrassed, he ran a hand through his blue/blond hair and smiled sheepishly at Minho. “Thanks,” He said again, bowing.

“Don’t mention it,” Minho replied, sparing a glance back at the Chimera were-cat, a very faint smile curling his lips.

Seungmin stepped forward, holding a first-aid kit. “Not to interrupt this… whatever this is, but we really gotta patch up Hyunjin-hyung and Jisung-hyung. Otherwise those bruises and cuts are going to heal funny and you’ll really be in trouble.”

“I mean, we could always try and spin it that they were defending their customer’s honour and do some kind of like… K-Drama theme night,” San suggested, snickering.

“That sounds like a terrible idea,” Seungmin said flatly, setting the first-aid kit on the table. “Nobody is going to buy that.”

San pouted as he draped himself over the younger man. “So _mean_ , Seungminnie.” Seungmin sighed and let the Black Cat nuzzle him, but seemed extremely put out by the dramatics going on around him.

Seungmin finally shrugged San off of him and pointed to Hyunjin and Jisung. “You two hyungs, sit over here.”

“Is this Seungminnie’s real personality?” Jisung asked in disbelief as he dutifully sat down at the table beside Hyunjin. “You were so sweet before!”

Chan laughed. “I guess that means he’s comfortable with all of us now. — Well, let’s get this stuff put away and I’ll start on dinner.”

“—I’ll help,” Felix offered, smiling as Chan nodded. “Between the two of us I think we can whip up something great for everyone.”

Hyunjin looked up as the two easily carried the rest of the groceries into the half-working kitchen. While they couldn’t handle a full shift at _God’s Menu_ at the Bar still, there were enough smaller appliances that the boys could make smaller meals for themselves without too much trouble. “I believe in you Felix! Today’s the day!”

“I can’t hear you, hyung!” Felix chirped as he followed Chan into the kitchen.

Changbin blinked and shared a look with Minho before regarding Hyunjin. “What was that about?”

The Cheetah were-cat smirked. “If you stick around long enough, you’ll see that Felix and Chan are gaga for each other and we’ve all got bets on when they’ll get their shit together and _get_ together.”

“Stop moving!” Seungmin muttered, wiping up the cuts on Jisung’s face.

“It _hurts_ ,” Jisung whined.

Seungmin rolled his eyes. “Getting punched in the face will do that.”

Jisung huffed and pouted but Seungmin was unmoving in his task. “They _challenged_ us.”

“And by the sounds of it, Minho and Changbin were the ones that scared them off,” Seungmin replied, eyes bright as he started to patch up Hyunjin after finishing up Jisung. “… is anything else broken? Like seriously broken? I’m not a doctor, this is about as good as I can do.”

Hyunjin smiled and shook his head. “Thank you, Seungmin. No, they just hit the moneymaker. We’re fine otherwise.” He paused. “Jisungie says that his pride is hurt, though.”

Seungmin snorted.

“You two seem chummy now,” San noted. “The pair that throws hands together becomes best friends together?”

Changbin cackled. “That’s how Min and I became friends!”

Jisung looked over at the two of them, trying not to lick at his lips where Seungmin had smeared a decent amount of Vaseline to stop the bleeding. “So… like are you two in a gang or what?”

“We’re not in a gang,” Minho answered with a chuckle. “I don’t know what you’d call us. Street rats, maybe. Alleycats? I don’t know. Changbin and I have been making sure this part of the city is safe for a while. Helping people out where we can, any orphaned were-cats usually know to come to us if they need help. But, some assholes like the ones that jumped Jisung and Hyunjin like to pick on were-cats to make themselves feel like big men.”

“The medical community likes to call it tiny dick syndrome,” Changbin helpfully supplied. “A good right hook to the face seems to be the only cure.”

San nodded sagely. “Play bitch games, get bitch prizes, I know the adage well.” He looked over as Chan emerged from the kitchen, pulling off a pair of latex gloves and tossing them into the nearby trash can. “Felix kick you out of the kitchen?”

Chan blinked and huffed. “ _No_.” He paused and looked sheepish. “Sort of, yeah. But I wanted to talk to Minho and Changbin before the food was finished and it became a madhouse.”

“Bold of you to think that it’s not already, hyung,” Seungmin muttered as he repacked the first-aid kit and latched it shut.

Jisung sighed dramatically and turned to Hyunjin as Seungmin rolled his eyes and walked off to put the first-aid kit away. “What _did_ happen to our sweet Seungminnie?”

“We actually wanted to talk to you too,” Changbin said, bringing the conversation back on track. “Did the name of this place change?”

Chan blinked. “Yeah, up until the Host Bar battle it was called _Chan’s Room_. Then we realized that it didn’t really fit the way the Bar was evolving so we changed it to _God’s Menu_. — why?”

Minho and Changbin made soft sounds of acknowledgment, like something just clicked. “That’s what I thought,” Changbin murmured, glancing at Chan who looked back at them with pure confusion written on his handsome features.

“You really stuck it to Kim Sungho,” Minho started, sliding his hands into his pockets. “He’s not going to forget that, especially since everybody’s been talking about that a were-cat Host Bar kicked his ass so badly. But running a host bar is risky in general. What are you going to do about security? Not just about him, but jealous boyfriends and things like that?”

Chan smiled at them faintly. “Why, you two angling for a job? — No, in all seriousness, it’s a good point. We’re getting more and more popular and the way things are going, it’s just a matter of time before something like that starts to happen. I’ve been looking into it, but getting anybody that isn’t in Sungho’s pocket is tough.”

“Hosts that double as Security isn’t a bad idea,” Hyunjin mused to himself. Realizing that all eyes were now on him as he’d said it aloud, the blond gave a thin smile. “Just thinking out loud. I don’t know if it’s financially feasible.”

“You _are_ picking up stray were-cats like Pokémon,” San added, laughing. “Can you even afford all these children, Chan-hyung?”

With a dramatic sigh, Chan shook his head and leaned against the long side of the table. “I’m a young father of four, possibly six if Minho and Changbin join up. That’s quite a lot of mouths to feed and here I am, a single man in my early twenties with a blossoming Host Bar business,” he lamented. “But in all seriousness, I can always use more hosts and they raise a really good point with security. That’d be something you two are interested in?”

Seungmin looked over at Jisung. “Is this how the interview process usually goes?”

“We’re unorthodox,” Jisung answered with a grin.

Minho and Changbin exchanged a look with one another, and Chan watched them carefully; while also a way to ease the tension in the room, Chan had another reason for his little acting bit: he needed the time to get a handle on the two new were-cats’ personalities. Throughout his short but rapidly progressing career as a host, Chan had been using his Black Magic and innate abilities to suss out people’s personalities and how genuine they were. In some ways, it was a lot more informative than a resume.

They were an interesting pair - Minho was, as Changbin pointed out, very tough and very wicked, but also had a heart of gold and was very sweet to those he liked while Changbin had a smart mouth and a smarter fist, but kind and loyal. Neither of them seemed to have any ulterior motives, though Chan was beginning to think that Jisung was one of Minho’s soft spots if the earlier confession was anything to go by. But before either one of the young men could respond, Felix called from the kitchen.

“Food’s on!” he bellowed.

And like a pack of raccoons perking up at the prospect of food, the hosts descended upon the kitchen to ‘help’ move the food out onto one of the longer tables, and to try and be one of the first ones to get Felix’s home cooking. Chan watched with a fond smile as his band of misfits somehow managed to work seamlessly together and get everything set out and dished out proportionally.

“I have to admit, this is the first Host Bar I’ve heard of where everyone lives together,” Minho commented, watching the group curiously. He and Changbin stayed sitting together at the far end of the table, though they’d happily helped set everything up with the others.

“Not everybody lives here,” Chan protested, laughing sheepishly.

Jisung tapped his lips with his chopsticks. “I think Sannie-hyung is the only one who has his own place.”

Felix looked over at Jisung with a small grin. “So when were you going to tell us that you were moved in, Jisungie?”

Sheepishly, Jisung bit his lip and looked down at his bowl. “Now?”

“We should probably start charging rent,” Felix joked to Chan, laughing. “The only one that gets a pass is Seungmin.”

Hyunjin gasped, putting a hand to his chest. “Just Seungmin? What about me and Jisung? Or at the very least, me! I taught you everything you know about being a host!” He poked Felix’s freckled cheek.

“Did I stutter?” Felix asked with a laugh, poking Hyunjin in the side. “I guess we can take it right out of their earnings, eh, Channie-hyung?” He winked.

Amused, Chan shook his head. “If they’re in agreement, yes, that’s an option. But Changbin, Minho, I suppose what I should be asking if you two are looking for work.”

Changbin nodded. “I’ve got a couple things on the go, but nothing stable. I’ve been doing music as a side-hustle, but it’s not much to live off of. Min and I do odd jobs here and there, enough to pay the bills.”

“Don’t be modest,” Chan said, smiling. “The music’s a bit more successful than you’re admitting, isn’t it? I can sense the pride in your words when you speak about your music.”

Startled and a bit confused, Changbin looked at the others. “Is he psychic?”

Seungmin smiled and shook his head. “Chan-hyung is a Black Cat. Sensing emotions is part of his magic… it’s really powerful; I saw it first hand.”

“That’s not even the half of what Channie can do!” Felix interrupted, eyes bright with pride. “Channie-hyung made these thugs that were trying to kidnap Hyunjin-hyung feel all the fear that Hyunjin-hyung was feeling and paralyzed them!”

Chan looked stricken. “Lix! — I’m not … I don’t use it like that all the time, it was just an extenuating circumstance—”

Changbin let out a low whistle. “That’s some wrath of God type shit. I don’t think I’ve ever met a Black Cat before. Is that what the rest of you are? This some kind of Black Cat Cabal?”

San laughed. “No, just Chan-hyung and I are Black Cats.”

“…really? What is everyone?” Seungmin asked, tilting his head. “— that is, if it’s all right to ask…”

Jisung cooed and draped himself over Seungmin, nuzzling the younger man much to Seungmin’s embarrassment. “Of course it’s okay! I’m a Chimera were-cat, my coat pretty much looks like this.” He plucked at his navy/blond hair.

“I’m a Cheetah and Yongbokie is a Lynx,” Hyunjin answered, lightly flicking his long blond hair. “We’re the only two big cat were-cats of the group and obviously the top two hosts at _God’s Menu_.”

San snorted. “You’ve still yet to beat _me_.” Hyunjin side-eyed him.

“What about you, Seungmin?” Chan asked gently. “Are you comfortable telling us?”

Seungmin nodded slowly. “It’s fine; there’s nothing to be gained by hiding it. I’m a Maine Coon.” He ran a hand through his shaggy hair. “The reason why Mr. Seon … why he bought me was because he could get away with having a ‘house cat’ but one that was different enough that he could brag about me to his weird friends.”

“God, am I glad we got you away from him,” Felix said, shaking his head in disbelief. “What a creep.”

Changbin rubbed his neck. “I’m a Bobtail, and Min’s a Birman. I think that’s everyone.” He grinned a little bit as the others nodded. “Yo, San, was it? You’re a Black Cat too, eh? Can you do what Chan does?”

San shook his head. “Nah, I do hexes. They’re like… short term punishment spells. Like what I did to Seon, he isn’t going to be able to get his dick wet in anything for a while.”

“San!” Chan exclaimed. “I thought I asked you not to hex him!”

“You did, but guys like that aren’t going to learn if something doesn’t happen to them,” San countered, shrugging slightly. “I get where you’re coming from, hyung, but I’ve seen it happen too many times to think that he’d learn his lesson otherwise.”

Chan frowned. “If he didn’t deserve it for what he did to Seungmin… it’d be a different story. I can’t tell you what to do, but with what _we_ can do…”

“I wouldn’t have done it for kicks, believe me,” San agreed, nodding slightly. “I’m not about to be Batman-ing my way through Seoul. Ain’t nothin’ in it for me to take matters into my own hands, but that guy? Fuck that guy.”

“That we can both agree on,” Chan said with a sigh. “Ah, Felix. While you were finishing up on dinner, we were discussing security for the Bar. Hyunjin had the idea of Minho and Changbin being hosts/security, to add a layer of protection for not only us, but the customers as well.”

Felix blinked and set his cup of water down. “Really?” He looked over at Minho and Changbin. “Is that something you guys are interested in?”

“We’ve never worked as hosts, but we can definitely make sure that no one messes with you guys,” Minho confirmed, inclining his head slightly. “With how popular you guys are getting, there’s definitely going to be problem customers that won’t be won over by Chan’s puppy dog eyes.”

While Chan sputtered in mild offence, Felix grinned. “We could give it a shot, like a trial period? — ah! How does Halloween sound? We’re gonna be packed to the gills with new and old customers for the big event. That’s as good a start as any, plus, gives you two time to prep. Whaddya think, hyung?”

Chan smiled warmly, completely oblivious to the looks San, Jisung, Hyunjin and Seungmin were sharing with one another. “Yeah, that sounds good to me. Changbin, Minho, that cool?”

“Cool with us,” Minho agreed as Changbin nodded. “We’ve got a lot of stuff to get in order, so the two weeks is perfect.” He grinned and held out a hand to Chan. “Looking forward to doing business with you.”

The Black Cat laughed as he shook Minho’s hand, and Felix shook Changbin’s. “Remember, throwing hands is a last resort.”

“Oh, _okay_ ,” Changbin said with an exaggerated sigh, before laughing.

Seungmin looked over at Felix and Chan. “…can I help too? I don’t… I don’t want to freeload, even if you said I could.”

“Like, as a host?” Chan asked, receiving a shy nod from Seungmin in reply. “Sure, that’s fine with me. What about you, Lix?”

A swell of pride and happiness grew inside Felix; he knew that Chan was getting accustomed to treating him as an equal partner in _God’s Menu_ now that they were working in the same space together, and he would be lying if he didn’t admit that it made him feel a hell of a lot more confident. “Yeah, he can work with me at first until he gets the hang of it. I think Hyunjin-hyung, Jisungie and Sannie-hyung are too high energy for him.”

“ _Rude_ ,” Jisung huffed. “I’m his cousin!”

“You’re not,” Seungmin sighed, though a smile was tugging at his lips.

Chan laughed himself and shook his head, turning his attention to Changbin and Minho. “I’ll see you two in two weeks?”

Changbin nodded. “With bells on!”

“No, _not_ with bells on.” Minho rolled his eyes.

“It’s a turn of phrase —”

“— _nobody_ says that.”

~ * ~

As Halloween descended upon _God’s Menu_ , Chan felt an excitement in the air that he hadn’t felt in a while, one that continued to heighten as the night went on. He hadn’t been sure if Minho and Changbin were going to show up for their trial run as combination hosts/security, but relief washed over him when he saw the two men show up in black slacks and black button-downs, affixed with a few pieces of jewellery. He’d put Minho with Jisung, and Changbin with himself, letting him off the hook and hang back as security when he had appointments with San.

“Ne, Channie-oppa, I really like your shoes,” one of his customers was saying, pulling his attention away from Minho and Jisung, and she giggled nervously when Chan turned to face her.

He smiled, though confusion was clearly written on his face. “You like my shoes?”

She nodded and after sharing a look with one of her girlfriends, she beamed. “I can’t really see them right now, but I can definitely see them stepping into my life.”

There was a long pause before it all suddenly clicked and Chan threw his head back and laughed, which prompted Changbin to get the joke and he too started laughing, though his was more of a sharp cackle. “That one’s really good!” Chan praised, giggling into his hand.

“I was saving it for you!” his customer explained, a blush colouring her cheeks. “You have to do one now.”

Chan hummed, and leaned over to Changbin who finally got a hold of himself. “This started back when I worked at _Moon_ , my regulars would give me the cheesiest pick-up lines and I’d say them back and it just … became a thing.”

Changbin nodded, though he smirked. “I bet they’re all legit trying to pick you up though.”

“No!” Chan protested, though the sense he was getting from the girls in front of him was that yes, yes they were trying to pick him up. He turned his attention back to trying to think of a cheesy pick-up line, knowing he had to ensure that it was wholesome and sweet. “Gosh, I thought I had a good one — ah! Here we go.” Chan cleared his throat and took the girl’s hands in his. “Are you a magician? Because when I look at you, everyone else disappears!”

The silence stretched longer this time before his customer, her friends and Changbin erupted into laughter and Chan himself looked embarrassed, putting his hands over his face. “That was so bad!” his customer teased, but the look on her face showed how pleased she was by it.

“What a note to end the appointment on,” Changbin snickered.

Once the appointment ended and Chan escorted his customer and her friends off, Chan glanced over at Seungmin, who was getting fawned over by Felix’s regulars, and a warm smile broke out on his lips. Despite the initial shyness, Seungmin seemed to be a natural, adding a grounded, peaceful air to what were usually pretty high energy appointments. The customers really seemed to gravitate towards him, doting on him and ordering whatever he suggested.

Chan’s eyes drifted to Felix, lingering on the Lynx for a lot longer than he probably should have; in the past couple of months, Felix had really come into his own both as a host and as a person. He’d been carefully easing the other were-cat into more of the business side of things - _God’s Menu_ was as much Felix’s as it was his, after all - and was relieved and happy to see Felix taking to it like a fish to water.

… now if he could just get his shit together and tell Felix about their earrings.

A part of him knew that there was a (frankly, understandable) possibility that Felix would react badly, and accuse him of trapping him here both financially and otherwise, just so they could be together. It was never Chan’s intention, but he could see how it would be viewed that way. Another… was probably worse and it was that Felix might feel betrayed, that Chan knew this all along and didn’t tell him, didn’t let him work with the Black Cat on navigating it. Whatever the outcome, Chan knew he had to say something. There was never going to be a perfect time, he _knew_ that. He _knew_ that, and yet …

“You’ve made quite a name for yourself, Bang Chan.”

Whirling around at the sound of a voice he hadn’t heard in almost two years, Chan’s dual-coloured eyes widened as he saw Raven standing at the front door to the mansion. Standing beside her was BamBam, someone he _also_ hadn’t seen in years, looking exactly as Chan remembered him but also so very, very different.

“Raven-noona! BamBam-hyung!” Chan exclaimed, hurrying towards them despite knowing full well that his exclamation got more attention than he’d have liked. “How are you two? I haven’t… wow, I haven’t see you two in ages!”

“Channie! Look at you, man! All tatted up and owning a host bar of all things?” BamBam was full of energy as always. “Wild!”

Raven smiled and accepted Chan’s eager hug, giving him a warm squeeze and stepping aside so BamBam could haul the younger man up into a swinging hug. “Good,” She answered finally, smiling. “I hope you forgive me for booking an appointment under a false name; I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Confusion coloured Chan’s features before realization struck and he laughed. He should’ve known that ‘C. Auguste Lupin’ was someone else; it was a character from Edgar Allen Poe’s _The Murders in the Rue Morgue_. “I should have known it was you,” he said finally, laughing. “You came at the right time; everyone’s just in between customers.”

“You know Miss. Raven’s timing is impeccable,” BamBam laughed.

“Of course,” Chan agreed, the grin threatening to split his face in half. “This way, please! — Hey, everyone! Quick side-bar?” All of the hosts at _God’s Menu_ were especially attuned to Chan’s voice, and Raven looked entirely too amused as seven young men immediately stopped what they were doing and came over. “Everyone, there’s someone - two someones - that I want you to meet that are very important to me. This is Raven, my mentor, and BamBam, one of the Black Cats I trained with at Miss. Raven’s estate. Raven taught me everything I know about Black Magic.”

Recognition dawned on all the Hosts’ faces, and Raven bowed slightly in greeting, as did BamBam. “It’s wonderful to meet all of you,” she greeted. “I’d known that Chan would draw a lot of wonderful people to him, but to see so many of you with him already… I’m relieved. I hope you’re keeping an eye on him; he overworks himself too much.”

Felix was the first one to break and he laughed, nodding intensely. “So he was like that back then, too?” he asked incredulously. “I catch him sleeping here all the time because he works so late!”

“Lix!” Chan exclaimed, aghast. “Don’t rat me out to her!”

The other Hosts struggled to keep themselves composed; it was a rare sight to see Chan so flustered, like he’d been scolded by a parent. San, however, seemed to catch himself right after Felix and looked at Raven curiously. “Do you run some kind of… Black Cat sanctuary, or something? How come… how come you taught Chan-hyung and not…”

Raven smiled faintly and shook her head. “I wish I could take everyone in; but it isn’t possible. I try and open up my home to everyone who needs it, though I’m not omniscient. I can’t find everyone.” She watched San carefully, tilting her head as her blue eyes glinted black in the muted light of the main hall. “However… you’ll meet someone who will teach you about your specialty very soon.” She lightly placed two fingers under San’s chin, tilting his face up a bit to get a good look at him. “Fate’s patience is running thin with you… yes, it’ll happen around the same time.”

San frowned. “What will?”

“You’ll meet _them_ ,” Raven replied simply, watching impassively as San’s purple-hued eyes widened in realization. “They’ll lead you to your home.”

“It’s… not here?” San asked quietly.

“No, and I suspect you already knew this in your heart. But you were meant to come here,” Raven explained, gently running her fingers through San’s midnight black hair, giving him a little pet. “This place is important to you, and will remain so.”

Jisung blinked and looked over at Chan. “Can she see into the future?”

Raven chuckled. “I’m not as skilled in divination as Old Lady Narae, but I’m not too bad. I can’t tell exactly when it will happen, just that it will happen. Sometimes I wonder if it’s better if I tell people or if I keep it to myself.” She tilted her head from side to side, her earrings and hair charms jingling softly. “But, they should know in the end.” She glanced at Chan pointedly.

Chan’s face heated up in embarrassment; he knew exactly what Raven was implying. Distracting him from further wallowing in his lack of action regarding his soulmate was Raven’s own Soulmate earring, a sparkling half-moon on her right ear. “Ah! I _did_ see the other half!”

Raven blinked owlishly at him. “What?”

“You… You okay, man?” BamBam asked, blinking just as blankly.

Realizing what he’d just blurted, Chan appeared sheepish, rubbing his neck. “I’m sorry, I just…” He gently took Raven’s hand and led her to the side so they could speak in private; this wasn’t something to be speaking about openly. “I’ve seen the other half of your soulmate earring,” he whispered.

For the first time, he saw Raven’s carefully constructed mask crack, and her eyes widened. “You did?” she asked quietly.

“Yes, I’m positive now,” Chan confirmed with a nod. “I guess the question is, though, do you want to meet them?”

Raven was silent for a long moment, falling into a deep thought as she considered Chan’s proposal. “I would, yes, although… I don’t know if I could meet them alone. You know them?” She asked, a slight, almost imperceptible sliver of vulnerability coming through her carefully constructed wall that concealed her emotions. It was so surprising to sense that Chan nearly fell over in surprise.

He nodded, knowing he had to act quickly - not only to seize the moment to help the first person that believed in him, but not to keep the others waiting in between their appointments - and gave her a warm smile. “I do, they’re, well… they’re my other mentor. I owe you two a lot. Ah, you know, I owe you a really good dinner in thanks for everything you’ve done. Are you free for dinner this weekend?”

Confusion flitted across Raven’s beautiful features before she smiled. “I see. Yes, that should be fine. Shall I meet you here?”

“Perfect!” Chan smiled. “Come around 5, we’ll go directly to _Moon_ from here. — and it’s going to be my treat.” It would be tricky, clearing his schedule and it all hinged on Seokjin being able to fit him and Raven in, but … Chan was confident it would work out. This was his chance to repay both their kindnesses, and he wasn’t about to let it slip through his fingers. As they rejoined the others, Chan bowed. “Raven-noona, BamBam-hyung, please come with me and we can finish up your appointment properly. I’ve already taken up a lot of everyone else’s time.”

“Don’t be silly, hyung!” Hyunjin admonished, slapping his arm. “Of course we want to meet your mentor and your friend! You’re always deflecting when we ask about you.”

“—Yeah, you’re always asking _us_ how _we’re_ doing but you never answer when we ask _you_ ,” Felix added, folding his arms.

Minho smirked as he kept an eye on the floor. “Seems like you don’t need to worry about people keeping him in line,” he said to Raven.

“I’m relieved; he was always so stubborn when he was a student of mine,” Raven laughed. “He needs you as much as you need him. Please take care of him.”

BamBam grinned and leaned into the group. “Wanna hear some embarrassing stories about Channie from when we trained together? One time we all went out bowling and—”

“—no one needs to hear about that!” Chan interrupted, face aflame with embarrassment. Quickly, he took Raven’s hand and BamBam’s, leading them away to where his station was, much to the amusement of the other Hosts.

Changbin laughed. “Good to see even the most unflappable of us can be human.” He looked over at San. “You all right?”

San snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. “I’m fine. I was just thinking - Hyunjin, want to make next Saturday really fun?”

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. “What are you up to?”

“Let’s go one-on-one,” San suggested, a devilish smirk on his lips. “I wanna see what you can do when we’re in the same spot.”

As his golden eyes widened in excitement, Hyunjin grinned. “Oh, you’re on. We won’t take any appointments, first-come, first serve. Whomever makes the most at the end of the night wins. Deal?”

“Deal!” San agreed, shaking hands with Hyunjin. “You’re 0-2, so you better bring it this time before I sweep you in a threepeat.”

Hyunjin huffed and raised his head proudly. “ _I’m_ going to be the top Host at _God’s Menu_ , and everyone’s going to know it.”

San smiled. “We’ll see.”

Seungmin frowned thinly and looked over at Felix, whispering softly. “Why does it sound like he’s leaving?”

Felix, startled out of his thoughts as he was watching Chan excitedly talk with Raven and BamBam, blinked slowly. “Who, Sannie?”

“Yeah, it — no, never mind,” Seungmin said, shaking his head. “I think … I’m just misreading it. It’s just a who’s better competition.”

The Lynx’s brows furrowed as he looked between San and Hyunjin. The Black Cat’s energy sure did seem different, but San was an enigma; no one other than Chan seemed to have a handle on what he’d do next. “Hopefully if one of them wins, then they can stop sniping at each other about who’s the better host.”

Jisung rolled his eyes. “Please, they’re going to keep going back and forth until they’re like in the triple digits and we’ve all died from the drama.”

“At least that’ll take care of covering off his absence,” Changbin said, jerking his thumb towards Chan.

Felix blinked. “What absence?”

Changbin blinked back at him. “You didn’t hear? He’s gonna take his mentor out for dinner next week in thanks. We’ll have a big gap since Chan’s like… the main attraction here. If Hyunjin and San go head-to-head, that’ll be a big deal and y’all can clean up that night no worries.”

“Of course they didn’t hear that, they weren’t _eavesdropping_ like you were,” Minho snorted. “All right, the next set of customers are coming in, get back to work.”

“Who died and put you in charge?” Hyunjin muttered, though he jumped and hurried off when Minho levelled him with an unimpressed stare in response. The others were quick to follow, not wanting to draw the ire of Minho, despite only knowing him for a scant few weeks.

At the end of the night, Chan pulled all the hosts together for their usual end-of-night debrief, taking stock of what happened, any issues, etc. And of course, this time also included eating any of the leftover halloween candy from the night’s party. “That was a really successful All Hallow’s Night! I really wasn’t expecting to see Miss. Raven,” Chan said in disbelief, a tootsie pop lollipop in his mouth. “She hasn’t changed a bit.”

“She was really pretty,” Seungmin said with a small smile.

“Just as mysterious as you said,” Felix added, laughing a little. “Did you two get to catch up?”

“Not as much as I would’ve liked,” Chan admitted. “BamBam really takes over a conversation, but that’s what makes BamBam _BamBam_ , you know? Ah, which brings me to something I wanna tell you guys: I’d like to take Miss. Raven to _Moon_ to repay her for her kindness, but that’ll require me being away from the Bar for a night, a busy night, Saturday night. I’ll reschedule everyone on my end so you won’t deal with any irate customers. Hopefully. But you’ll be on your own for that night.”

Jisung gave a low whistle. “Are you actually taking a night off? Who are you and what have you done with Bang Chan?”

“I never thought I’d live to see the day,” Felix teased, poking Chan’s cheek, right where one of his dimples would appear. “But that works out; Sannie and Hyunjin were talking about having a head-to-head friendly competition to see who’s better.”

Chan blinked, then laughed loudly, his eyes crinkling. “Any excuse to compete, huh?” He turned to Minho and Changbin. “You guys did great tonight. What did you think about working here?”

“I could get used to this,” Changbin said, nodding. “Easy enough work, though I don’t know if I’d ever be a host. But, like, your customers are pretty nice and seem terrified of upsetting Chan. Like, if they upset him, it’s like they kicked a puppy.”

Minho shook his head ruefully. “I’m good to keep going with this if you’re willing to have us.” He wouldn’t admit it, but it was the first time in a damn long time Minho felt he was somewhere safe, not having to look over his shoulder at every second for someone who wanted to settle a score, or was looking for a stray he’d help get off grid. While Changbin had something relatively normal with his music and studio, Minho poured a hundred percent of himself into patrolling the streets and keeping himself moving to fill the days. Staying in one place for once … sounded nice. Staying in one place and getting to know Jisung? That sounded even nicer.

“Tonight was a really good first night, you guys blended in seamlessly,” Felix praised with a smile.

“Everybody fell in love with Minho-hyung,” Jisung said with a grin. “Like the second he had to remove some jerk who came in to harass one of our customers, everybody was like…” He snapped his fingers. “In love. Like that.”

Seungmin smirked a little. “That include you?”

“ _Quiet_ ,” Jisung hissed.

“I really want to see Changbinnie-hyung do a hosting appointment on his own,” Hyunjin suggested with a grin.

“ _Nobody_ wants to see that,” Changbin protested.

“We want to see it!” the other hosts echoed, much to the Bobtail’s dismay. He groaned loudly and sunk lower in his seat, blowing his long bangs out of his eyes.

San glanced over to Chan as the other hosts descended upon Changbin, thrilled that they had a new target to bother. “Hey, can I talk to you privately for a second?” he asked quietly.

Concern briefly flashed over Chan’s face before he nodded and rose to his feet, quietly breaking away from the rising noise levels of the others and going into one of the nearby rooms. Inside of the study, Chan closed the door and gestured for San to take a seat on one side of the small sofa. “What’s up, San?” Now that it was just the two of them, Chan could feel the unease seep through San’s carefully maintained exterior. “Are you all right?”

“…I’m fine,” San assured him, but there was a slight pause of hesitation that he knew Chan heard. “You heard what Miss. Raven said to me, right?”

Realization dawned on Chan and he nodded carefully. “I did,” he confirmed. “Is that what’s gotten you so rattled? Miss. Raven doesn’t like to give any answers, she’s very vague yet… the way she chooses her words is like she knows the right way to pierce through your defences.”

San nodded and rubbed his neck. “Yeah, that’s … that’s exactly how I’d put it. These… little fears I’d had, these things I didn’t think too much about, she just … _said_ them without _saying them_. She said… I’d meet my soulmate soon,” he said softly.

“I think you will too,” Chan replied gently, putting a hand on San’s right knee. “As much as you think you won’t, that’s when it’s going to happen. But is that what you’re really worried about?”

The other Black Cat shook his head, purple-hued eyes filled with guilt. “No, it’s that this isn’t… this isn’t where I’m supposed to stay. I don’t … I feel bad that …” he drifted off, worrying at his lip ring with his tongue as he paused, gaze pulling away from Chan’s sympathetic one.

“… You feel bad that you want to leave? That something else is calling you out there and you feel like you’d be abandoning us?” Chan finished, smiling faintly. San nodded, chewing at his tinted bottom lip, pulling his suit sleeves over to fashion them into high-end jacket paws. “You aren’t, Sannie. We Black Cats… we wander until we find our home. I truly believe that the reason why we don’t stay still is because we’re looking for somewhere to accept us. Somewhere we can call home. _Someone_ we can call home.”

San frowned. “I _want_ this to be my home, though, and I hate that it’s not. You all … you’re all so damn nice and everything is finally pulling together and I just… all I can think about is how… is how… my home is still out there. I hate that I can’t be happy with this.”

Chan was silent as he listened to San, and silently, he moved forward and pulled the younger Black Cat into a tight hug, one of his hands resting on San’s neck and scratching it gently in a fond, comforting gesture. San stiffened at first, not expecting a _hug_ from Chan, although … maybe he should have; Chan out of everyone at the Bar understood where he was coming from. San felt guilty he was repaying Chan’s kindness with abandonment, though it couldn’t be further from the truth.

“You’re not abandoning us, and I will do whatever I can to make sure that you believe me,” Chan whispered, tightening his arms around San, “if you feel that what you’ve always wanted is out there, go out and get it. You’re always welcome back here and if you ever wanna come back and visit, or you wanna come back and do a stint… the door is always open.”

“…but what about the others? I talked this huge game of making _God’s Menu_ the top host bar, and after what happened with _Aphrodite_ … I should stay, I should help out until…” San was beginning to spiral, his tattooed fingers clenching Chan’s shirt tightly. “Until…”

“It’s okay,” Chan said softly, sliding his hand up to gently pet San. Ordinarily he wouldn’t have done something like that, but the overwhelming feeling he was getting from the other Black Cat was that he was _craving_ the reassurance. “Sannie, we wouldn’t have made it this far if it wasn’t for your help. If you feel like you’ve got to move on, that’s okay. It’s scary, though, isn’t it? This is… the first safe place you’ve had in a while, isn’t it?”

San nodded slowly, burying his face against Chan’s neck. “I should stay,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “I _want_ to stay, I don’t want to leave, but … I … I can feel this… I don’t know.”

“…you’re feeling something pull you out of here and out into the world?” Chan finished, smiling faintly when he received a slight nod from San in answer. “… this isn’t about me, and I don’t know if this will help, but… I know what you’re feeling. When I was at Miss. Raven’s estate with Hoseok-hyung, that was the first time either one of us had a home, had a mentor, had a friend. We’d been there about a year when we both… we knew we had to go, but we were terrified to lose the only home we had.”

“What did you two do?” San asked quietly, his voice almost inaudible.

Chan smiled, gently threading his fingers through San’s hair. “We realized that even though we left Miss. Raven’s, it didn’t mean that we had to cut ties forever - not with her, and not with each other. Just because you’re not working here anymore, doesn’t mean you can’t come back and visit, it doesn’t mean you can’t call us or text us. You know? Black Cats stick together.”

A long silence filled the room, the only thing breaking it being San’s shaky inhales/exhales and Chan’s steady breathing. “They’re going to hate me,” San said after a long moment, white-knuckling Chan’s shirt.

“I don’t think they’re going to hate you,” Chan replied, shaking his head. “With everything you’ve done, you’ve always thought about the Bar and the others first. With the Host Bar Battle, you thought on your feet and got Hyunjin and Felix out of _Star Shine_. Don’t think I don’t know about your little training sessions with Jisung and Seungmin, or how you’ve been name-dropping contacts to Felix in the Host Bar circuit.” Chan smiled, continuing to stroke San’s hair. “I think the others will be sad, but they’ll understand.”

“…I’m not that good of a person,” San muttered, shaking his head.

“Really? Then tell me why you challenged Hyunjin to a head-to-head contest next weekend?” Chan asked, lightly pinching San’s side. “That’s okay, I think I can fill in the blanks: you wanted to see if Hyunjin was ready to lead the others as the Top Host, right? That’s a leadership position in the team, and you can see that Hyunjin’s _just about_ there. Ne?”

San grumbled against Chan’s neck. “I hate you and your mind-reading powers.”

Chan laughed. “I didn’t need to read your mind to figure that out. But I am serious: the others won’t hate you. They’ll miss you, but they’ll support you. I know they will. However…”

“…however what?” San was almost afraid to hear the end of that sentence.

“However,” Chan continued, “you’ve got to tell the others now.”

San looked stricken. “ _Now?_ ”

Chan nodded. “Yes, now.” He poked San’s cheek, right where his cheek would dimple. “Rip it off like a band-aid, then we can use your last week to the fullest. And Felix will probably make your birthday cake tomorrow _extra_ special now.”

“Eh - oh God, I forgot tomorrow was my birthday,” San groaned. “Why did this have to happen now?”

“Because it must,” Chan said sagely.

San huffed. “You sound like your mentor.”

Chan smiled. “Look, it’s either this or the puns; both my mentors have their quirks.” San sighed but smiled back and nodded, rising to his feet. “I’ll be with you, no matter what happens.”

“All right… Let’s do this.” San exhaled deeply, heading out first towards the main floor, where the rest of the hosts at _God’s Menu_ had finally noticed that one of the Owners and their Top Host were missing.

Felix looked between the two men, frowning thinly. “Is everything okay? You two were gone a long time.”

Chan and San exchanged a long look before the younger of the two Black Cats sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. “Chan-hyung was talking me off the cliff,” San started, his hand trailing down from his hair to touch the broken heart earring on his right ear.

“…Because of what Miss. Raven said to you?” Seungmin asked quietly.

Startled, San seemed to remember that the others had been there too when Raven nonchalantly dropped the future truth bomb on him. “—Yeah,” San confirmed, swallowing. “She kind of just… called me out on what I’d been trying to ignore for the past while.”

“What you’d been trying to ignore?” Jisung asked, frowning. “Is this about what she said… about this not being your home? You know that’s not true, right?”

The Black Cat shook his head slightly, a sad smile creasing his lips. “It wasn’t a mistake that I came here, or met everybody, but there’s… I don’t know how to explain it but there’s… how this place is for you guys, my place like that is still out there. And I need to find it.”

Minho raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Changbin, but both of them stayed quiet; this wasn’t their discussion to take part in. They were too new, and San had been there almost from the beginning of _God’s Menu_ ; it was a matter for the original group. Changbin nodded slightly and moved to join Minho on the other end of the couch, giving Felix, Jisung, Seungmin and Hyunjin space to be near San.

“Is that why you challenged me?” Hyunjin asked suddenly.

“Sort of,” San admitted, rubbing his tattooed neck, his fingers trailing against a Tim Burton style depiction of Jack the Ripper. “I wanna see you go all out, Hyunjin, and I want … I want to see if you can be the Top Host here.”

Hyunjin pushed himself to his feet and walked over to San, golden orange eyes narrowed. “The only way I’m going to go through with this now is if you promise to come and visit. I don’t care where your mangy ass goes after this, but you better damn well come and see us.”

Surprised, San’s expression shifted to a rueful smile. “Yeah, you got it.”

“I’m going to kick your ass _and_ I’m going to take the top spot,” Hyunjin promised. “You better not throw this.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” San confirmed. “You better lay it all out on the line, Hyunjin. It’s you vs me, no bells, no whistles, no Bars on the line. Just us. All in.”

“All in,” Hyunjin agreed as they shook hands again, but this time it was a much firmer handshake.

As Hyunjin and San broke apart and the Cheetah were-cat returned to his seat, Felix looked up at San with wide green eyes. “You’re really going to leave, Sannie?” he asked quietly. He looked over at Chan. “He’s really leaving?”

Chan smiled sympathetically as he sat down beside Felix, putting an arm around his slender shoulders. “He’s gotta,” Chan explained softly.

“You’ll visit, right?” Felix asked, looking up at San. “This isn’t… this isn’t _goodbye_ , right?”

“No, it’s definitely not goodbye,” San agreed, smiling weakly. “I just… what you guys have here with each other… I can feel inside that that place for me… it’s not here, but I know what I’m looking for now. I’m looking for this, but…”

Jisung smiled. “But elsewhere.”

San nodded slowly. “Yeah. It’s not that you guys aren’t amazing, but—”

“Your home is out there somewhere,” Felix said softly, pushing himself to his feet. He walked over to San and pulled the Black Cat into a tight hug. “I’m going to miss you, Sannie.”

“Hey, I’m not dying,” San weakly joked, hugging Felix back just as tightly.

Chan smiled fondly as he watched the pair. “Now we have even more reason to throw a good birthday party for him tomorrow.”

Felix’s eyes widened. “That’s right! His birthday is on _All Saint’s Day!_ ” He slapped San’s chest, ignoring the sharp yelp of pain from the Black Cat. Suddenly, Felix grabbed San’s shoulders and shook him gently. “I’m going to make you the best cake ever. What colour do you want the frosting to be?”

“H-Huh?” San blinked at him, confused.

“What colour, Sannie?!” Felix demanded.

“P-Purple!” San blurted back, startled by the sudden forcefulness of the question.

Felix nodded firmly. “Purple it is.”

Somewhat frazzled, San looked over to Chan who chuckled. “I told you so. — Come on, let’s close up and get back to the Bar. You too, Sannie.”

“W-What?” San seemed to be in a constant state of surprise and now had a Felix attached to him by the arm.

“You’re staying over at the Bar tonight,” Felix explained. “Everybody is. Even Minho-hyung and Changbinnie-hyung.”

Minho and Changbin blinked, sharing a surprised look with one another. “Us too?”

“Yeah of course you two too!” Felix confirmed, still holding onto San’s arm tightly. “Everybody! It’s an order from one of the co-owners.” He nodded firmly.

Chan laughed. “You heard the other boss. Everybody out.”

While the air was still somewhat melancholy with San’s announcement that he was planning on leaving _God’s Menu_ , there was a definite shift once they’d all returned to the Bar. Chan wasn’t sure who shifted first - it might have been San, out of sheer exhaustion from the day’s revelations - but one after the other, each one of the young men shifted to their cat form. It was a strange sight: one black cat, a Maine Coon, a Birman, a Bobtail, a Lynx, Cheetah and a Chimera all in a giant pile on Chan’s bed.

Chan smiled as he sat down on the bed, suddenly surrounded by a certifiable gaggle of were-cats, both big and small. Hyunjin curled around him from behind, Felix fastened at his left side, Seungmin to his right, Jisung and Minho off to the side and Changbin on the other side. San was in his lap, little head resting on Chan’s right knee. Carefully, Chan pulled out his phone and held up as far out as possible, taking a series of pictures of the scene before returning his attention to gently petting as many of the were-cats as he could.

It wasn’t too much of a surprise that his left hand stayed on Felix’s head, tattooed fingers gently stroking his soft, sandy blond fur. Chan’s eyes wandered to Felix’s stubby tail, a sad smile creasing his lips as he saw the soulmate earring that affixed itself there. (I have to tell him,) Chan thought to himself, a heavy weight settling in his chest, tightening around his heart. (No matter what happens, I have to tell him. He has a right to know.)

As if to further twist the knife in his heart at his perpetual inaction, Felix purred in his sleep, rubbing his head against Chan’s hand.

~ * ~

The next morning, Chan felt heavy. As he opened his eyes, he realized what brought on the feeling: throughout the night, every single one of the were-cats that had fallen asleep around him, were almost on top of him completely. His head was resting on Hyunjin’s side, an arm slung around Felix’s neck, and the others were practically fighting in their sleep to get a piece of prime real estate that was the Black Cat’s body and not the mattress that had to have been more comfortable.

A warm, fond smile creased Chan’s lips and for a moment, he closed his eyes and savoured the feelings of secure contentment that rolled off his motley crew. Carefully, he extricated himself from the pile of were-cats, gently setting down every single one of them that was using him as a bed, giving each and every one a fond pet. Now completely covered in cat hair that stuck out like a sore thumb on his black clothing, Chan hobbled off to shower and change into a fresh set of clothes before making his way down to the kitchen.

While he was no Michelin Star Chef, Chan was fairly decent and felt confident enough that he could make a nice breakfast. He just had to go slowly and think his steps through; with everyone still asleep, it was as quiet as it was ever going to be and Chan was going to take advantage of it. Carefully, Chan propped up his phone against the countertop wall, opening up the soundcloud app and selecting his playlist that had Changbin’s, Jisung’s, and Yoongi’s music on it. As Jisung’s ‘Close’ began to fill up the silence in the kitchen, Chan got to work.

His friends really were talented; Chan had been listening to this particular playlist while he processed payroll and all the thoroughly exciting paperwork that came from running a Host Bar, and had become quite the fan of all three men’s work. Jisung, Changbin and Yoongi each had a distinct flow and style, even their musical stylings were different yet had the same _hunger_ that permeated their body of work.

Chan mumbled along to the song as he pulled out the necessary ingredients, getting the smaller appliances set up and turned on. Though he’d been a bartender at _Moon_ , he had spent a significant amount of his time while employed at the restaurant listening to Seokjin explain in painstaking detail how to make a variety of dishes - spanning from the very simple to the very complex. This would be the first time that he’d be making a much bigger amount of food but Chan figured that it was a simple matter of scaling up the recipe.

By the time Chan’s playlist turned to AGUST D’s higher paced and heavy hitting _Daechwita_ , the others had woken up and were shuffling down to the main level of the Bar in various states of sleepiness. Chan was unaware of their presence, rapping along to the sharper and quicker style of AGUST D, keeping up remarkably well. As he turned to turn off the rest of the appliances, he stood deathly still once he realized that seven pairs of eyes were staring back at him.

“Uh, good morning,” Chan greeted dumbly, holding his pair of cooking chopsticks and a bowl. Heat crept up and coloured his cheeks as the realization that they’d been listening to him rap along to Yoongi’s music hit him like a tidal wave. “How’d everyone sleep? Uh, breakfast is ready, so if you—”

Changbin held up a hand. “No, no, no. You don’t get to just gloss over the fact that you were almost word for word rapping along to _AGUST D_.”

“I do since I was doing it _poorly_ ,” Chan protested, setting the bowl down and placing the cooking chopsticks over the mouth of the bowl, balancing them easily. He caught sight of San who was standing behind Seungmin, smiling as the Black Cat’s hair was fluffier than usual, his face still puffy from sleep. “Happy Birthday, Sannie!”

San appeared confused before his sleepy mind processed the greeting and he smiled, bowing as he tried to fix his tousled hair. “Thank you, hyung. You made breakfast for everyone?”

Relieved that he had an out, Chan nodded. “It’s one of the few things I picked up when I worked at _Moon_. I hope it tastes good, this is the first time I’ve made enough for eight people. — here, birthday boy gets first taste.”

Curiously, San saddled up to Chan’s side and peered at the dish, allowing the older Black Cat to feed him a bite. Chan watched anxiously as San chewed and swallowed, before relief washed over him at the smile that broke out on his lips. “This is really good, hyung!”

“Let’s get everything on the table before it gets cold,” Felix suggested. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to squander Chan-hyung’s cooking.”

Hyunjin leaned in and murmured, “if you just said something, you could have his cooking every day…”

Felix levied the older were-cat with a sharp look. “Shut it. — hyung.” He stuck out his tongue as he picked up the largest bowl, bringing it over to the main table. “Sannie, you get to sit up here! Birthday boy gets special privileges.”

San smiled as he was easily led over to the head of the table, where Jisung and Minho placed his place settings first before attending to the rest. “Ah, so this is what Chan-hyung sees all the time,” he joked.

Despite Hyunjin’s attempts to get Felix to sit beside Chan, Jisung and Changbin stole the seats to Chan’s left and right, forcing the Cheetah were-cat to abandon his ongoing plot to get Felix to make a goddamn move already. Minho enlisted Seungmin’s help to bring over the rest of the food, an unspoken rhythm in place despite the relative newness of the Bar’s inhabitants coexisting together.

“Why don’t we sing happy birthday to Sannie?” Chan suggested, not liking how Changbin and Jisung were staring at him.

Jisung waved a hand. “Do you want us to sing to you, Sannie?”

“No offence, but no,” San replied, laughing as he started digging into his food.

“See? Birthday boy has spoken,” Jisung said, his eyes never once leaving Chan. “Why didn’t you tell me you could rap?”

Chan stared back at him. “I can’t,” he said, baffled. “I’ve just been listening to your guys’ music a lot and I’ve just memorized the flow.”

Changbin jabbed his finger in Chan’s side, earning a loud yelp from the older man. “There’s no way that you just memorize a flow like that and keep on beat.”

“I thought you’d be more interested in the fact that he’s been listening to yours and Jisung’s music while doing the books,” Minho commented idly in between bites. “Music that you still haven’t let me listen to, by the way.”

Jisung started and turned to look at the older man. “Wh - you didn’t say you wanted to hear it!”

“We’re getting off track,” Changbin interrupted.

“Were we ever _on_ track?” Seungmin asked, looking over at San.

“Debatable,” San answered, shrugging.

“Eat your food,” added Minho. “Once Bin gets something in his head, he’s like a snapping turtle; he’s not going to let go.”

San smirked slightly. “Kind of like you and a certain someone, huh?”

Minho narrowed his eyes a smidgen, which only served to widen San’s smirk. “Which life out of nine are you on, Choi?”

“Seven or Eight,” San replied blithely, winking at the Birman. “I’m going to miss your sunny morning personality, Minho-hyung~”

Minho snorted.

“In all seriousness,” San started, lightly tapping the inside of his bowl with his metal chopsticks, a thoughtful expression colouring his strikingly handsome features, “I’m going to miss this. I mean, it’s only been like this for a little while, but this kind of manic energy, I love it.”

Seungmin looked at him in disbelief. “I’m exhausted all the time from it and I’ve only been here a couple weeks.”

Chuckling, San poked Seungmin’s cheek with the non-dirtied end of one of his chopsticks. “I think you enjoy it more than you let on, Seungminnie,” San teased.

“You’re sure you don’t want to stay?” Felix asked softly, chewing his bottom lip.

“Oh, I _want_ to stay,” San admitted, rubbing his neck with his free hand. “But… I know if I do, I’m not going to find _my_ version of this.” He gestured with his chopsticks to the group. “I’ll keep in touch, though. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Hyunjin playfully rolled his eyes as he snapped his fingers. “Darn.”

“You’ve gotta come back, because we’re going to get Chan to perform with us,” Jisung said suddenly, causing a confused yelp to come from the oldest at the table.

“You’re out of your mind!” Chan exclaimed.

“No, I think Ji’s onto something here,” Changbin piled on, grinning. “You’re going to come with me and Ji to my studio and I’m going to prove that you’ve got instincts for this.”

Chan groaned and put his face in his hands. “Come on, can’t we put the attention on San? He’ll pout if he doesn’t get the attention he wants.”

“First of all, I don’t appreciate you calling me out like that,” San said, pointing a chopstick at the other Black Cat, “and second of all, _thank you_ ; I’m feeling so unloved.”

“Well we can’t have _that_ ,” Hyunjin said with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, as if he weren’t the exact same way.

Once breakfast was finished and everything was cleaned and put away so the contractors had room to work safely, Chan went down to the basement with Minho and Seungmin, having recalled seeing a bunch of old board games and the like being shoved in the corner from the previous owners before Jaehwa bought it.

“What the hell else are we going to find here?” Minho asked, raising an eyebrow as he pulled out an old copy of _Connect 4_.

“I mean, I found Felix here the first time I opened the door, so your guess is as good as mine at this rate,” Chan admitted, finding a dusty box that contained _Twister_.

Seungmin blinked. “You found Felix-hyung here?”

Chan nodded as he took the stacked boxes from both of the younger men. “I won the bar in a poker game with Seokjin-hyung’s friends. They said I should take a look at the bar and see if inspiration struck on what I could do with it. So come here at like 2 a.m. or something and inside I see… a Lynx with a broken right wrist.”

Minho stared at him. “How did you not shit your pants?”

“Uh, good question,” Chan said with a laugh as he led the other two back up to the top floor, “I think because Lynxes weren’t native to Korea I realized it must be a were-cat and I just hoped I could convince them I didn’t mean any harm. Felix really took a risk in trusting me.”

Seungmin smiled a little at that. “We all did, but I don’t think anybody’s regretted it yet.”

As Minho closed the door to the basement suite behind him, he cast a glance at Chan. “So when are you going to ask Felix out?”

Startled and nearly dropping the stack of board games (and the awkwardly shaped bullet one for _Bang!_ that sat on top) Chan stared at the second-eldest. “W-What?”

“Oh, sorry; were you giving him moon eyes supposed to be some kind of open secret?” Minho asked flatly, continuing on upstairs like he hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary. He turned to Seungmin. “Update the betting card - they’re not getting together until Christmas at the _least_.”

Seungmin bit back a laugh at Chan’s affronted expression, the conversation ending abruptly - to Chan’s relief - as they returned to the others. “Felix, are you sure you don’t want to play a couple games first before you make the cake?” Chan asked, hoping his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.

Felix shook his head and popped up to his feet. “Nope, I’ll be fine! Are the contractors still in the kitchen?”

“No, they’re working on the booths and the restaurant side. I think the kitchen’s pretty much done, we just need to do a check on the equipment working,” Chan answered, setting the stack down on the floor, the other were-cats sitting in a wide circle. “We might be back here week after next, if everything goes well.”

“Do you think we should get the basement redone too?” Felix asked, rubbing his neck.

“It just needs to be cleaned up,” Minho piped in, shaking his head. “There’s enough room for a couple bunk beds, or a couple futons. The storage room is pretty well designed, so it’s not clunky and taking up all the space.”

San looked over, currently with his head on Hyunjin’s leg as the younger were-cat was braiding his chin-length hair into little plaits, keeping his fingers busy. “Depends on how many more strays Chan-hyung intends to bring in.”

Chan huffed. “You make it sound like I’m doing this on purpose.” Felix laughed and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder before disappearing downstairs to begin work on San’s cake. “Might as well make this whole mess and start with Twister. Birthday Boy goes first.”

“I don’t know, I don’t want to mess up my hair,” San joked as he slowly sat up, somehow managing to make Hyunjin’s work go to waste with the movement. “Alright, fives, make way; a ten is coming through.”

As if setting the tone for the rest of the day, the hosts of _God’s Menu_ spent San’s birthday almost coming to blows over board games, making alliances and breaking them as if they were tissues being pulled out of a box, and enjoying Felix’s masterfully baked cake. San wiped at his eyes, trying not to mess up his eyeliner, seeing that Felix had made the inside of the cake purple too.

“This is … probably the best birthday I’ve had,” San admitted, setting his paper plate down on his knee. “Definitely the first one I’ve spent with people I liked.”

Chan smiled and ruffled San’s hair, undoing a lot of the small braids that Hyunjin had braided in hours earlier. “I hope you come back to celebrate even more with us,” he said sincerely. “And this might not be a conventional present, but I wanted to show you something - how much we all really do care about you. This might not be where your soulmate is, but I hope this can be safe place for you to come when you need to.”

Confused, San tilted his head and watched Chan carefully press a hand to his Black Cat Mark, the magical glyphs on his forearms and chest glowing slightly with a faint green. The younger Black Cat was about to ask what he was doing when he realized what Chan was doing: slowly, almost with the careful precision of a surgeon but with all the care of a glassmaker, Chan was infusing the love and affection from each one of the occupants of _God’s Menu_ to San. Overwhelmed by each distinct sensation, unified in their common ground of how highly they held San in regard, the Black Cat let out a quiet sob, burying his face in Chan’s neck.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Smiling warmly as he cut off the link between everyone’s emotions and San’s, Chan hugged San tightly. “You deserve all the love in the world, San,” Chan whispered back. “Remember - this isn’t goodbye; you’d best come and visit.”

“I will, I promise.”

~ * ~

Chan carefully ran a hand through his styled hair, trying not to fiddle too much with one of the few non-host suits that he owned. While still a black, stylish suit, it was more traditional with less of the flashy flair that was indicative of his ‘uniform’ so to speak. His collar was buttoned up, and he adjusted the tie; he didn’t think he’d ever get used to wearing one. A smile creased his lips as he craned his neck, getting a good look at the _Golden Wattle_ tattoo that Hoseok was finally able to fill in recently.

“Looking like a million bucks, Boss,” Hyunjin said, leaning against the wall beside Chan.

A small smile creased Chan’s lips and he turned to raise both his eyebrows suggestively at Hyunjin, laughing when the Cheetah were-cat cracked a smile. “ _Moon_ is not a place where you go dressed half-assed,” he explained. “But how are you feeling, Hyunjin? Tonight’s the night you and Sannie go head to head.”

Hyunjin hummed, pushing himself off the wall. He adjusted Chan’s tie properly, loosening the knot and fixing it. “I’m excited,” he admitted. “For the first time, I think I’m going to see the real San, and I’m going to … I can be the real me. He’s such a good host, I want to … I want to get to that level. No, I want to surpass it. I want to be the anchor for us here.”

Chan’s smile widened and he gave Hyunjin a tight hug. “Good luck,” he said warmly. “I know you two are going to knock it out of the park.”

“I’m going to come out on top,” Hyunjin promised, nodding firmly. “Sannie doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Oh, you better not call it this early,” San said, breaking up the conversation. Chan’s eyebrows raised as San was dressed like someone’s interpretation of a modern gothic prince, a sparkling chain connecting his lip ring to an earring on his left ear. “I’m pulling out all the stops tonight, Hyunjinnie.”

Hyunjin huffed. “You look like an _Evanescence_ reject.” San smirked and blew a kiss, causing the Cheetah were-cat to roll his eyes.

“It seems quite lively here all the time,” Raven commented from behind Hyunjin, causing the young man to jump a couple feet into the air. She chuckled and inclined her head slightly. “My apologies.”

Hyunjin blushed in embarrassment. “It’s all right.”

Raven smiled at that, and turned to San. “Your energy seems a lot calmer than the last time I was here. Did you make a decision?”

“I did,” San confirmed. “It was tough to hear, but I was already thinking it. Hearing out loud… made it real, I guess. I’m not abandoning them, life just… moves in different directions. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Raven agreed. “I hope that this decision leads to your happiness.”

“Me too,” San said with a little laugh. “Chan-hyung, be sure to bring Miss. Raven back so she can see me beat Hyunjin into the ground.”

“Oh you did not just say that!” Hyunjin exclaimed.

Chan lightly bopped both young men upside the head with a rueful sigh. “Keep that energy for tonight,” he instructed. “Minho is going to be keeping an eye on everything, and I’ve given him a pretty long leash. So be good.”

He smiled, but his eyes weren’t matching. Both Hyunjin and San’s eyes widened and they shared a long look with one another, then looked to Minho who was smirking back at them, having been watching from his perch by the door. Quickly, both young men nodded. “We’re on it!” they promised.

“Good to hear. I hope you two have a smooth night; you’ll be the anchors. People are aware that this is San’s last night and an unofficial competition between two of the top hosts in Seoul. You two ready?” Chan asked, relieved to see that the message had been received.

“Ready!” they confirmed.

Chan smiled and clapped his hands on their shoulders. “Good luck, and have fun.” He turned to Raven and nodded. “Ready, Raven-noona?”

“Always,” Raven confirmed, taking Chan’s arm with a smile. “Good luck tonight, everyone.” As they left, Chan was surprised to see that Raven was taking him to a sleek black vehicle. “I’m glad we’re able to do this; you and Hoseok were always on my mind once you left the estate.”

Surprised, Chan smiled. “I’ve… been thinking about the estate a lot. I always meant to come and visit, but things have been so crazy this last year, I …” He shook his head. “I’m just glad I’m in a position to do this now. — But Raven-noona, are you doing all right? Have you been training Black Cats still?”

Raven nodded as they pulled out, Chan giving directions to _Moon_. “I have. Recently, Jiyong told me about a sweet little Black Cat named Jungkook that he met; incredible instincts, but very skittish, very burned by society’s view of our kind. Jiyong took a liking to him and taught him everything he knew; Jungkook picked it up in a flash. He’ll be a good influence on San.”

Chan blinked; there was a lot to unpack in that sentence, least of which was that G-Dragon was also a Black Cat. “Wait, is this Jungkook the one that will teach San about hexes?”

“They’ll meet soon,” Raven confirmed, her eyes trained on the road. “You’re wondering why I didn’t have San come to the estate to meet Jungkook there?”

“Ah, yes…”

“It’s a tricky line to walk, seeing what I can, knowing what I know,” Raven admitted. “Jungkook and San will meet naturally, but only when San faces his fears.”

Chan blinked, realizing something. “So you decided to be fate’s little helper, noona?”

Raven chuckled. “ _Prophet, said I, thing of evil! — Prophet still, if bird or devil!_ ” she replied, her tone a melancholy sing-song.

The young Black Cat’s dual coloured eyes coloured with confusion before realization struck, and he laughed. “ _Quoth the Raven, nevermore?_ ” he asked.

His mentor winked. “ _And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting… and his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming_ ,” she finished, laughing a little as they stopped at a red light. “That… is what I do.”

“Training Black Cats must a be a full-time job,” Chan commented, fixing one of his sleeves.

“It can most definitely be a handful,” Raven admitted, her eyes flicking up as they began to approach _Moon_ , “but sustaining the estate, that’s not something that can be done with good intentions. Those that remain at the estate assist with the costs in exchange for staying, but is primarily maintained due to my novels and the fashion house.”

Chan blinked. “Oh! I wouldn’t have expected the clothing line, but it makes sense. You’re always so well put together.” A part of him was excited, remembering Seokjin’s own WWH menswear line that he spoke so passionately about. “What kind of novels do you write?”

“Romance.”

“Really?” Chan blinked.

Raven laughed as they entered the restaurant. “No, gothic thrillers.”

Chan blinked, then grinned sheepishly. “That’s more on brand. — Ah, reservation for Bang Chan? For two?” he said to the hostess.

A look of realization crossed the hostess’ beautiful features and she nodded. “Oh, yes. Mr. Kim is expecting you, Mr. Chan. Please, this way.”

Taking a moment to appreciate his ‘old stomping grounds’ as it were, Chan was surprised to see that while much had changed within the interior of _Moon_ , but it still held the same ethereal, stylish aesthetic that was synonymous with Kim Seokjin. Unable to help it, Chan looked over at the bar where he made his start, that feeling like a lifetime ago. He smiled, pulling his attention away as the hostess seated he and Raven at their table. “Thank you.”

“Channie!”

Turning suddenly, Chan smiled and bowed respectfully as Seokjin came over, dressed stylishly as always, hair immaculately styled, bangs swept off his forehead. “Seokjin-hyung!” Chan greeted in return, laughing when the older man pulled him into a tight hug. “Thank you for squeezing us in.”

“Of course, Channie!” Seokjin said kindly, pulling back and getting a good look at the Black Cat. “But I will be asking for my favour tonight. Before that, however, I have a question for you.”

Chan blinked. “Sure, what is it?” He had a feeling it would be one of Seokjin’s infamous ‘dad jokes’, but he never quite knew what to expect from the model, fashion designer and restauranteur.

Seokjin grinned, clearly excited. “What is the most attractive fruit?”

“…pardon?” Chan was flabbergasted.

“A fine-apple,” Raven answered, hiding her smile behind her finely manicured nails.

Seokjin’s eyes lit up and he clapped his hands together, his signature windshield-wiper laugh pitching high. “Yes, exactly!”

Chan blinked slowly. “What.”

“But what would you call a violent cereal?” she asked, amusement dancing in her tone.

Seokjin clapped his hands together and pointed finger-guns at her, excited. “A cereal killer!”

“Oh my God,” Chan whispered, putting his face in his hands as he slumped down in his seat at the table. He looked up, a rueful smile on his lips. “Raven-noona, this is who I wanted you to meet. Seokjin-hyung, this is my other mentor, Raven.”

“Oh!” Seokjin’s eyes lit up and he bowed respectfully, as did Raven in kind. “It’s lovely to meet you. Kim Seokjin; I am the owner of _Moon_.”

Raven smiled and nodded. “Raven, it’s lovely to finally meet you as well.”

Seokjin raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly. “An adoring fan?”

“The owner of the other half of your earring,” Chan supplied from where he’s sitting. “I realized that the two of you wouldn’t meet in the ordinary course, so I thought I’d help fate out a bit.” He gestured to where there was a third seat at the table. “Would you like to join us?”

Seokjin’s eyes widened slightly, and he watched Raven carefully, as if with new eyes. “Yes, I can sit for a little bit,” he agreed, sliding into the seat. “I… must admit, I’m taken aback. I was going to ask you to help me find the other half of my earring after you said it belonged to my soulmate, but I didn’t think that you already knew them.”

Chan smiled. “I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I’d seen your earring before; that’s how I knew it was a moon. But it didn’t click that they were the same pair until I saw Miss. Raven again last week.”

“I apologize for making you a third wheel,” Raven apologized, smiling gently.

“No, no! It would be awkward otherwise if I just gave you this address and Seokjin-hyung’s name,” Chan said, rubbing his neck with a tattooed hand. “At least this way, I can clear up any misconceptions.” He winked. “But the rest is up to you two. I’m just fate’s little helper.”

Raven laughed and shook her head. “I taught you a little too well.”

While he had been worried that he would have to guide the conversation much like he did as a host, Chan was relieved to see that there wasn’t much ice left to break; Seokjin and Raven were feeling each other out in the opening moments of the conversation before branching into more common topics. Topics that also included telling embarrassing stories about Chan.

“Hey, we don’t need to talk about me,” Chan protested, embarrassed.

“You know, he won’t let me convince him to model for my clothing line,” Seokjin lamented, resting his chin on his palm. “Or let me torpedo his host bar so he can come back and work for me and I can hear about how he’s charmed all my customers.”

Raven chuckled. “Really now, Bang Chan, is that how you repay his kindness? Not letting him exploit you for his business?”

“See? She gets it,” Seokjin said, poking Chan in the cheek with a finger.

“Maybe it was a bad idea to get the two of you together,” Chan sighed, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. “Though you could probably see if Raven-noona will collaborate with you; she’s got her own clothing line too.”

Seokjin’s eyes lit up and he leaned forward, eyes sparkling with interest. “Oh? What is the name? Perhaps I’ve heard of it?”

Raven laughed a little and shook her head. “I doubt it. It’s called _Hyperion_ ; it’s mainly modern gothic but I’ve been commissioned for more … elaborate pieces for the community. The Black Cats that have more intense needs that aren’t covered by magical glyphs also come to see me for bespoke clothing.”

“ _Hyperion…_ ” Seokjin tested the name on his tongue. “You know, Taemin talks about them a lot.”

Chan smiled. “Taemin-hyung is also a Black Cat, remember?”

Raven sighed slightly. “Speaking of him… he knows full well who his soulmate is but between you, Hoseok and him, you all seem allergic to breaching that wall.”

“Eh - it’s not that easy!” Chan protested. “What if … he reacts badly?” Raven’s eyes darkened slightly as she flicked him in the forehead. “Ow!”

“Then work together and fix it,” she said firmly. “It’s a relationship like any other, Fate only puts you in the same room. The rest, as we’ve said, is up to you, that means opening yourself up, working together. It’s both of you vs the world.”

Chan started and looked down at his tattooed hands, idly running his fingers over a musical staff that branched out towards his forearm, depicting the melody of his favourite song. “I know,” he said quietly. “It’s been so long already… and I’m in a position of power in the Bar. I don’t want to seem like I’m taking advantage of him.”

Raven tilted her head slightly. “It’s that… Felix, yes? Trust him. It is a leap of faith for both of you.”

Staring down at his right hand, where the ring Felix gave him stayed, Chan nodded slowly. “I won’t leave you behind,” he whispered, reading the inscription on the band. “Right. You’re right, of course. — hey! This isn’t about me tonight.” He looked up at her, huffing slightly.

Seokjin hummed softly as he looked to be deep in thought. “No, but it’s like a parallel to your own crisis, isn’t it? There’s no guarantees, but if you trust them, believe in them.” He looked over to Raven. “It’s … like with any relationship, you build that trust. Soulmates is… it’s not a guarantee, like she said. But, it helps.”

Chan nodded slowly. “Yeah… that’s true.”

 **Felix ☼ [9:45 p.m.]  
** Hyung, I’m sorry to bother you

 **Channie [9:46 p.m.]  
** What’s up, Felix?  
Is everything okay?

 **Felix ☼ [9:47 p.m.]  
** Everything’s okay  
I just wanted to talk to you

 **Channie [9:50 p.m.]  
** You have uncanny timing  
You can save me from these puns

 **Felix ☼ [9:50 p.m.]  
** Seokjin-ssi is at it again, huh? lol  
What does your mentor think about him?

 **Channie [9:51 p.m.]  
** You’re not going to believe this  
She makes terrible puns too  
they had a pun-off

 **Felix ☼ [9:52 p.m.]  
** Haha, really!  
Maybe you’re cupid, hyung

 **Channie [9:53 p.m.]  
** That’s me  
bringing soulmates together

 **Felix ☼ [9:57 p.m.]  
** What about yours? 

**Channie [10:00 p.m.]  
** Me? 

Chan looked down at his phone, faintly hearing Raven and Seokjin talk in depth about something way above his knowledge level in the background as he stared at the screen. His fingers hovered over the digital keyboard, his dual coloured eyes narrowing slightly; this was it. He had to take matters into his own hands. He had to tell Felix.

 **Channie [10:02 p.m.]  
** I think my soulmate is out there  
maybe closer than I think

 **Felix ☼ [10:07 p.m.]  
** You believe in soulmates, hyung?

 **Channie [10:08 p.m.]  
** I do

 **Felix ☼ [10:10 p.m.]  
** That’s really romantic  
Do you think you’ll find them?

 **Channie [10:11 p.m.]  
** I do

 **Channie [10:12 p.m.]  
** Hey, I’m going to be coming back  
I think I’m the third wheel here haha

 **Felix ☼ [10:13 p.m.]  
** Third-wheeling is pretty rough!  
If you leave now, you’ll make it in time for the last bit of Hyunjin-hyung vs San-hyung

 **Channie [10:15 p.m.]  
** On my way

Chan locked his phone and glanced up to where Seokjin and Raven were still deep in discussion about the nitty gritty details of the fashion industry and he smiled. “I’ve got to head back to the Bar, seems like I’m needed there after all. I think you two don’t need me to third wheel any longer,” he joked, rising. “I’m going to hail a cab and get back. I hope you two have a lovely evening.”

Before he could leave, Raven grasped his wrist and smiled. “I should have done this when you left, but let’s exchange numbers, Bang Chan. We can stay in touch.”

“Ah! Yes, of course,” Chan agreed, smiling as he watched Raven pull out a sleek smartphone. A part of him thought it looked odd, that Raven would be using literal ravens to send her messages, or use of magical spells or something, but of course she’d have her own phone. “If it’s okay, I can also give this to Hobi-hyung?”

“Hoseok? Of course,” Raven confirmed with a nod. “Please, pass it onto him; you two can contact me at any time. I can’t promise I will be able to respond in a timely manner, but I would love to hear from both of you.”

“You got it! Hoseok-hyung is an … avid texter,” Chan warned, laughing. He bowed as he got to his feet and smiled at both of them. “Enjoy your evening!”

Seokjin rose to his feet and bowed himself. “Channie - no, Bang Chan. Thank you.”

Chan smiled and gave the older man a nod. “We’re more than even, Seokjin-hyung. Good luck!” Feeling much lighter on his feet knowing that he’d helped two of the most important people to him, Chan exhaled heavily as he left _Moon_ , hailing a cab (after some work) and headed back to _God’s Menu_ ’s temporary location.

~ * ~

As he entered, he stopped short when a sudden burst of money shot up into the air and fell down like rain on one of their booths. Chan’s brain and eyes struggled to process what was happening in front of him but eventually he realized that Hyunjin’s client was a filthy rich, old-money divorcee that was completely charmed by the Cheetah were-cat. It looked like something out of a movie, something from the 80s when people were spending money like it was growing on trees.

A hand came up and plucked something off his head, and Chan realized belatedly that it was Felix. “What is going on?” Chan asked dazedly, placing a hand on his head as if to double-check that the bill Felix was holding was the only one that’d landed on his head.

“Hyunjin-hyung hooked this whale like just at the cut-off for walk-in appointments,” Felix explained, bright green eyes wide with excitement. “She’s the widower of the owner of _Samsung_ or something crazy. She said that Hyunjin reminds her of her grandson or something and has been spoiling him rotten this whole time.”

Chan shook his head in disbelief, glancing over to San’s station where while he wasn’t slacking, it was definitely not as lucrative as Hyunjin’s client. “That’s some incredible luck,” Chan said finally. “But it takes a lot of skill to keep a customer like that engaged and willing to spend.” (I wonder how San feels about this.)

His answer came once the Bar closed and Minho waved him over to go over the detailed drink and food orders in the POS system - there had to be an objective review of the revenue earned, of course. “I think we’ve got a winner,” Minho commented, leaning back against the counter. “Only fitting that the boss announces it.”

“I’m not the only — oh, all right,” Chan gave in rather quickly and cleared his throat, looking down at the tally on the notepad, triple and quadruple checked by both himself and Minho. “With 60% of the revenue to San’s 40%, Hyunjin took this one quite handedly.”

“Yes!” Hyunjin pumped his fist in the air and pointed a finger at San. “Suck it, you— …” his exclamation died in his throat as the reality of the situation finally hit him and he frowned, pulling San into a tight hug. “You better come back and visit, asshole. But … I’ll take care of everyone here. I promise.”

San smiled, hugging Hyunjin back just as tightly. “You were amazing, Hyunjin. You’re definitely the top host here.” He lightly poked the Cheetah in the forehead, laughing when Hyunjin wrinkled his nose. “Better keep on your toes, you never know when this cat will come back and turn this whole place upside down again.”

“You’d better!” Hyunjin playfully threatened, releasing him. “This is really it, huh? You’re leaving after this?”

“Gotta hit the ol’ dusty trail,” San confirmed. “I don’t want a big goodbye party, it’s not really my style and my make-up is already immaculate, so, you know, it’d be a shame to waste it.” He looked at the gathered hosts and nodded firmly. “I’ll see you all again, I promise.”

Jisung sniffled, wiping his eyes roughly with his sleeve. “San, thank you for bringing me here. I owe you a lot, man.”

San shook his head. “None needed, Ji. You would’ve done the same for me.” He grinned and waved his phone. “Hit me up when you, Changbin and Chan-hyung tear it up onstage, yeah?” He winked.

Changbin cackled. “You’ll be the first to know!”

“Hey, hold on —” Chan’s protest was cut off by San hugging him tightly. “Oof. Sannie?”

“Thank you, hyung,” San whispered. “I’ll… when I meet them, when I meet my soulmate, I’ll bring them here to meet you.”

Chan smiled. “I look forward to meeting them.” He wondered what kind of person San’s soulmate would be - probably someone as silly and vibrant as he was, someone unrelenting in their passion, that would pull him out of his self-doubt and insecurities, who’d shower him with affection but keep him on his toes. “Good luck, Choi San. Come and visit.”

“I will, Bang Chan,” San promised. He turned to Felix and hugged him just as tightly as he had Chan. “No tears, Lynxie! You can always text and call me, okay? I don’t know where I’ll be, but I’ll always answer, okay?”

“I know,” Felix said, wiping his eyes. “I’m going to miss you.”

San smiled, pressing his forehead to Felix’s. “I’ll miss you too, Lynxie. Keep an eye on Chan-hyung, okay? He gets into his head too much and … he might not go for what he wants because he thinks it’ll ruin everything.”

Confused, Felix slowly nodded. “Y-Yeah, I’ll… I’ll do that.”

San winked. “And ask him out before Hyunjin does!” He gave Felix one more squeeze before saying his goodbyes to the others, heading off into the night with a flicker of his lighter and a hiss of smoke from his cigarette.

“He should really quit smoking,” Chan sighed, rubbing his forehead. “How have his teeth not rotted out?”

Minho snorted. “Some people have all the luck, I guess.”

Seungmin rubbed Felix’s back, smiling when the Lynx looked at him with puffy eyes. “Wanna go home and make fun of Jisung-hyung’s accent with that International customer?” he asked, ignoring Jisung’s indignant squawk.

“He was doing his best,” Minho said, though a smirk was tugging at his lips.

“You’re all just jealous of my French!” Jisung groaned. “My customer really liked it! She was ready to take me back with her to France!”

Changbin snickered. “The only thing that stopped her was Min’s murder stare.”

“Huh?” Jisung tilted his head.

“Don’t worry about it,” Changbin said quickly, waving a hand. It certainly had nothing to do with the second eldest’s murderous glare. Not at all. “—Why don’t we head on home? It’s been a pretty big night for everybody, hey?”

Felix nodded and wiped his eyes. “It’ll be so weird without Sannie here.”

Chan smiled and put an arm around Felix’s slender shoulders. “You can still talk to him,” he said gently. “And I’m sure he’ll come and visit; he can’t stay away from us for that long. Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Felix agreed, smiling tiredly. “I think… home sounds good.”

Chan nodded and looked over at the others. “Let’s… let’s go home, everyone.”

Much like Halloween Night, the hosts of _God’s Menu_ ended up in a pile on Chan’s bed - though, really, could it be considered his bed at all at this point? - and although he wanted to join in, Chan knew that he (and Hyunjin) had a lot to talk about. With San gone, a lot of the management and supervision of the hosts would now fall on Hyunjin, while Minho was in charge of security with Changbin.

“We’ll go into further detail as we go, but this is the general gist of how we’ve gotten things set up. It’s different than how it was at _Star Shine_ , but I think you’ll pick it up quick,” Chan explained.

Hyunjin nodded slowly. “This is way more hands-on than it was at _Star Shine_ , but… I can do this. I can definitely do this.”

Chan smiled and clapped a hand on Hyunjin’s shoulder. “I believe in you, and so do the others. So, Minho, about—”

Sudden, heavy, infrequent banging interrupted Chan’s sentence, the weight behind each of the knocks varying wildly, a hoarse voice screaming for help barely permeating the thick set of double doors. Quickly, Chan shot to his feet as did Minho, while Hyunjin remained rooted to his feet in shock - the memories of when _Star Shine’s_ goons were barreling down his door still fresh in his memory. As he shared a look with Minho, Chan nodded and squeezed Hyunjin’s shoulder, indicating that he stay there while they went to the door.

Minho quickly got himself in position, gesturing for Chan to go ahead and open the doors to the Bar. Chan nodded back and steeled his nerves, carefully unlocking the doors and opening them… revealing a young man, barely eighteen, with matted black hair, a busted lip and his face, hands and legs covered in cuts and bruises. His fist loosened as the door opened and he stumbled forward, tripping on the door’s threshold and falling into Chan’s arms.

“I-Is this … is this… the cat haven?” he asked hoarsely, blinking weakly, his greenish-blue eyes covered by his black, silver-streaked hair. “Jeongin, I’m… Jeongin… please, h-help me…”

“H-Hey, it’s okay,” Chan said urgently, hauling the young man into the Bar, nodding for Minho to close and lock the doors behind them. “You said your name is Jeongin?”

“Help…” Jeongin whispered, tightening his hands on Chan’s arms before fainting, his entire body going limp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um, say hi to Jeongin! ._.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeongin regains consciousness and finds himself not in a were-cat haven, but a host bar run by them. With the young man's arrival, God's Menu turns the corner and moves into unprecedented success. Life is beginning to change and the hosts are coming into their own. 
> 
> Chan finally allows himself to go for what he's wanted for so long, but the only thing standing in his way ... is himself.

With an unconscious and bleeding young man in his arms, Chan’s protective instincts went into overdrive. “Hyunjin! Can you grab the first-aid kit?”

The slight crack of worry in his voice must have snapped Hyunjin out of his daze and he nodded, dashing off at lightning speed towards the spot where they kept the first-aid kit. He paused, going down to the basement and getting the _bigger_ first-aid kit, figuring that with Jeongin’s injuries, they were going to need it. Somehow, the activity hadn’t woken up the rest of the hosts but that wasn’t the important thing right now - helping the young were-cat unconscious on the couch was.

“Thank you,” Chan said as Hyunjin set the kits down on the nearby table.

“I’m going to get some clothes from upstairs, his are destroyed,” Minho said, pushing himself up. “— you okay, Hyunjin?”

“—I’m fine,” Hyunjin confirmed. “Just… don’t do well with surprises like that. Bad experiences.”

Minho was silent for a moment before placing a hand gently on Hyunjin’s head and giving him a gentle pet before hurrying upstairs to grab some spare clothing that would be close enough in size to give to Jeongin. Hyunjin blinked slowly and looked over at Chan, who caught his gaze and returned his confused look with a smile.

“Minho’s a nice guy, it just takes a while for him to open up,” Chan explained, turning his attention back to Jeongin. “Can you grab a bunch of bowls and fill them with lukewarm water? I’ve gotta clean off all this blood and patch him up.”

“Y-Yeah, you got it.” Hyunjin nodded and hurried to the kitchen, only managing to drop one bowl instead of all of them as he did as Chan asked, bringing them out with remarkable balance along his long arms. “Just down here?”

Chan nodded, his fingers missing the buttons on Jeongin’s jacket. “Y-Yeah,” he confirmed. “Shit. What’s with me?”

Felix yawned as he came down the steps, following a much more urgently moving Minho who had a pile of folded clothes in one hand and Felix’s hand in the other. “Whas’ going on?” He asked sleepily.

Minho pulled him over and sat him down next to Chan. “Stay here and ground him.”

Confused, Felix looked up at the second-eldest. “What?”

“This kid went through something fucked up,” Minho replied, gesturing at the unconscious Jeongin. “Chan-hyung can barely keep his hands steady because of the energy he’s giving off. Keep Chan-hyung steady and I’m going to make sure no one followed him.”

Chan flicked his gaze to Minho. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Minho scoffed slightly and set the clothes down. “Yeah, I did. Keep an eye on them, Hyunjin.” He quickly left the Bar, pulling on his leather jacket and tying his handkerchief around his neck; he was in protect mode.

Frowning thinly as he could see for himself now how badly Chan was shaking, Felix placed a hand on Chan’s forearm. “Take a deep breath,” he said slowly, his voice still thick with sleep. “He’s going to be okay. Go slow.”

“Right.” Chan exhaled deeply and nodded. “Right.”

He pushed up his sleeves with bloodied fingers, pulling over one of the filled bowls of water, and another that was empty. Grabbing at the stack of cloths and towels that were also brought over, Chan set to work: Jeongin was in rough shape, but mercifully, a lot of his injuries seemed to be surface level and most of the blood had come from a shallow cut on his forehead. Felix’s presence beside him made it a lot easier to focus on rather than the waves of fear, horror, and desperation that were subconsciously rolling off Jeongin’s slender frame.

Chan’s dual coloured eyes were sharp with determination as he carefully cleaned, stitched up and bandaged some of the worse cuts and gashes on Jeongin’s side, his right arm and his left thigh. While he was by no means a doctor, Chan had spent enough time having to patch himself up that he picked up some pretty decent skills. Finally, after an hour and the others beginning to stir at the activity in the bar this late at night, Chan tossed the last bloodied cloth into the dirtied rag bowl and cleaned his hands in the last bowl.

“I’ll get him changed,” Hyunjin offered as Chan was about to open his mouth. “Get yourself cleaned up and to bed, hyung. I’ll watch over him. I don’t think I’ll be able to get to sleep tonight.”

“You sure?”

“Very. Go to bed, hyung.”

Chan nodded slowly. “All right. Don’t hesitate to grab me if you need something.” The adrenaline from the last hour and a half now fading, Chan was easily moved upstairs by Felix, who made sure Hyunjin was all right before shepherding Chan upstairs to his bed.

Hyunjin looked over at Jeongin, who had been moved to a cleaner (and comfier) couch and now was in a pair of fluffy, pastel blue pajamas, cleaned up and dried off. The Cheetah were-cat pushed himself up and grabbed a flat pillow from one of the lounging areas, placing it underneath the young man’s head. The frenetic, urgent energy in the bar had calmed down finally, and his nerves were finally recomposed enough to clean up the bowls and toss the bloodied towels in the laundry, and dump the bloodied water down the drain.

There was something calming about the mundane activity of cleaning up, and Hyunjin kept himself focused on making as little noise as possible as he put everything back how it was before Jeongin’s sudden appearance. He made a cup of tea for himself and grabbed a tall water bottle, filling it with water and a bit of concentrated mint drops - Jeongin’s stomach was likely going to be doing backflips when he regained consciousness and Hyunjin always found mint to be super helpful in calming his own down.

As he sat down on the host’s chair beside the couch, Hyunjin glanced over at Jeongin, a frown creasing his lips. He couldn’t have been more than eighteen, maybe even seventeen, with a little bit of baby fat still on his cheeks, though it was starting to show signs of leaning out. He saw Jeongin shift in his sleep, a pained frown creasing his cracked lips as a whimper escaped them. When Hyunjin shifted to move past Jeongin to pull his thin blanket up a bit more, Jeongin’s hand shot out and gripped his wrist. 

Startled, Hyunjin almost opened his mouth to demand what the fuck that was about when he realized that Jeongin was in the midst of a nightmare, his body reacting subconsciously. A frown creased his lips and he slowly sank down to rest up against the bottom half of the sofa, and while he was still tight in Jeongin’s grip, Hyunjin began to sing - it wasn’t a song he’d let anyone really hear before; it was one that he would sing to himself when he was living on the streets. It was a frankenstein mix of a bunch of different melodies he’d hear garbled through the windows and doors of department stores, somehow morphing into something that brought the young were-cat comfort. Hyunjin kept his voice low, just loud enough that he could see Jeongin register it in his sleep and slowly, the young man relaxed and fell into a deep sleep.

The Cheetah were-cat let out a sigh of relief and tried to peel Jeongin’s hand off his wrist, but found that it had only tightened and any attempts to undo that caused the young man to shift and begin to wake up. Cursing under his breath but unable to be mad about it when he knew all too well the deep-rooted fear and anxiety that being a stray would bring, Hyunjin got himself comfortable on the floor, resting his head back against the edge of the cushion. Despite his earlier statement to Chan that he wouldn’t fall asleep, the comforting scent of the fabric softener on Jeongin’s pajamas and the exhaustion of the day finally caught up to Hyunjin, pulling him into an equally deep slumber.

He awoke to a dull ache in his back, neck and legs, and a scared young man watching him like he was about to bite his head off. “Ow…” Hyunjin murmured to himself, groaning as he pushed himself up to his feet - finally noticing Jeongin’s wide-eyed gaze out of the corner of his eye. Hyunjin paused and looked down at the young man, who was staring at him and holding the edges of his thin blanket so tightly his knuckles were white. “—Hey, it’s okay. Jeongin, right? I’m Hyunjin. You’re okay.”

“W-Where am I?” Jeongin asked, his voice hoarse and fraught with worry. “W-Who are you!?”

Slowly lowering himself down so he was eye level with the scared young man, Hyunjin kept his movements deliberate and in plain view so as not to startle Jeongin. “My name is Hyunjin, and I’m a host at a Host Bar called _God’s Menu_ ; that’s where you are right now. You fainted when my boss opened the door, and we patched you up.”

Jeongin stared down at his bandaged hands, reaching up with a pained grimace to touch his cheeks and side, realizing that Hyunjin was telling him the truth. “W-Where’s… there’s… there’s supposed to be a guy named Chan here? Is this really … I didn’t know it was a bar, I thought it was…!” Jeongin was beginning to hyperventilate, his brain moving too fast and muddled by his heightened emotions to really process everything properly.

Carefully, Hyunjin knelt down and gently took Jeongin’s hands in his. “It’s okay,” Hyunjin repeated softly. “Follow my breathing, Jeongin. In, out, in, out… yeah, like that. You’re doing great.” He smiled when he felt Jeongin’s hands slowly stop to tremble, and squeeze his own back. “Go slow. You’re safe here.”

The young man stared down at Hyunjin’s ring-adorned hands, his bluish-green eyes clearly conflicted. “I heard… there was a guy named Chan that ran some kind of… were-cat haven. Where strays could go and … I didn’t know it was a Host Bar,” he said finally, swallowing thickly.

“It’s not _technically_ a haven, but it’s kind of turning out that way,” Hyunjin lightly joked, giving Jeongin’s hands a gentle squeeze. “We’re all strays here, Chan-hyung included. So don’t worry about getting kicked out, okay?”

Jeongin nodded slowly. “I’m… the bruise on your wrist. It’s because of me, isn’t it? I… I’m sorry. I … get night terrors; I thought you were… in my dream, you were…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Sorry. You slept funny because of me.”

Hyunjin smiled a little, and shook his head. “It’s okay; not the first time I’ll sleep awkwardly, and not the last. You want something to drink? Ah, sorry… I should’ve filled this up in front of you. — it’s just mint water but I understand if you want a sealed bottle of water.”

Hesitation was clearly written on Jeongin’s face but he slowly nodded once he realized that Hyunjin was waiting for his answer. “…please?”

“Yeah, no worries,” Hyunjin smiled and pushed himself up to his feet again without letting go of Jeongin’s hands, then finally releasing them before going to get a sealed bottle of water from the fridge, bringing over a tiny bottle. “This is mint water… see?” He set the bottle down in front of Jeongin to pick up and inspect. “I figured your stomach might be upturned from the blood loss… this always helped me.”

Cautiously, Jeongin scooped up the little bottle and inspected the label, his sharp eyes almost piercing through the tiny bottle and straight to Hyunjin. He carefully unscrewed it and took a cautionary sniff, and recognition dawned before he nodded and set it down on the table. Though he struggled to unscrew the bottle of water, he was stubborn and soon did it, despite the pain it caused his bandaged hands. “Thank you.”

Quietly and with as much care as he could not to startle Jeongin, Hyunjin sat down beside him but kept a respectful distance between the two of them. “You’re welcome,” Hyunjin said once he’d seated himself. “Ah, just to give you a head’s up, like… six other people live here and almost all of them are loud. They’re good guys, but they’re loud; they’ll be waking up soon.” He smiled. “Chan-hyung’s one of them.”

“Is… is … is Chan-ssi nice?” Jeongin asked quietly.

“Chan-hyung is very nice,” Hyunjin promised.

As if summoned by his name being mentioned three times in a row, Chan shuffled down the steps, dressed down in an oversized black hoodie and tapered black joggers, his black hair fluffy and eyes puffy from sleep. He yawned, clapping his tattooed hands over his face, trying to wake himself up through sheer force of will. “Ah? Oh!” He realized that both Jeongin and Hyunjin were up, and he smiled gently, walking over. “You’re looking a lot better. — Hyunjin, you didn’t sleep in your work clothes, did you?”

Sheepish, Hyunjin nodded. “Yeah, it was by accident. I thought I was going to stay awake the whole night, but I guess the day got the better of me.” He turned to Jeongin and smiled. “Jeongin, this is Bang Chan, but we all call him Chan-hyung. — Chan-hyung, this is our new friend, Jeongin.”

Smiling warmly with a nod but staying where he was, Chan nodded and bowed respectfully. “It’s nice to meet you, Jeongin. How are you feeling?”

Suddenly shy, Jeongin seemed to have an utter fascination with the bottle of water that Hyunjin had brought him. “I’m okay,” he said quietly. “You’re… Chan-ssi?” He seemed to be watching Chan with new eyes, refreshed by sleep and comforted by Hyunjin’s earlier words.

“That’s me; you can call me hyung,” Chan confirmed with a smile. He was careful to mete out the comforting aura he consciously emit when in this type of situation; he wanted Jeongin to feel comfortable in his own time, but at the same time, he wanted to show as open an energy as possible. “I own _God’s Menu_ with my friend Felix. Hyunjin’s a host here, and we have five more that live and work here: Minho, Changbin, Jisung and Seungmin.” He paused. “Well, technically we’ve been working at a temporary location, but renovations are just about done here so it’ll be here next time we open.”

Hyunjin blinked. “Really?”

Chan nodded with a slight hum. “The booths and the restaurant portion were taking the longest, but they’ve finished up last night. I’ll get the invoices squared away today, and we’ll be good to go for tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow?” Hyunjin tilted his head.

Chan smiled. “Everybody had a tough night, seeing San off that I figured we’d close today and just take the time to recoup. With Jeongin here, I think that’s the right call more than ever.”

“…you don’t have to close it on my account,” Jeongin said softly. “But… is it really okay if I stay here? I’m…”

Tilting his head slightly, Chan looked confused. “What do you mean?”

Jeongin shifted, holding onto the bottle of water like it was some kind of life preserver. “I’m… cursed.”

“Cursed?” Chan echoed. “I don’t think that’s true…”

“No, I am!” Jeongin exclaimed, slamming the bottle of water down on the table startling both Chan and Hyunjin, immediately hissing as he stretched one of the wounds on his hands. He frowned and cradled his hands to his chest. “They said I’m a curse, a-an abomination because of what I am! But they did it to me! I’m not … I can’t even be sold, I’m … I’m not worth anything, not even to be skinned or whatever, I’m just… a stupid … genetic freak!”

“Hey, you’re not a stupid anything,” Chan whispered, sliding over to sit beside Jeongin, carefully putting his arms around the young man and staying still as he held onto Chan’s sweater tightly. “We’re all were-cats here, and none of us are freaks. Even me and I’m a Black Cat.”

Jeongin frowned, shaking his head as he white-knuckled Chan’s hoodie. “You don’t understand! I’m a —” He stilled when he felt Chan’s hand on the nape of his neck, the Black Cat’s trimmed nails giving him a little scratch. It was such an unexpected comforting gesture, that it broke the dam that had been shoddily thrown up in the scant few hours Jeongin had been conscious and he crumpled in Chan’s arms, sobs wracking his body.

Chan’s lips curled into a deep frown and he glanced up at Hyunjin. “Tell the others to be quiet when they come down, okay?” he asked quietly. “Thank you, Hyunjin.” The Cheetah were-cat quickly nodded and hurried off, footsteps light as he headed upstairs to give everyone a head’s up. (Minho’s not back yet, either; I hope he’s all right. But… he can handle himself. I need to focus on Jeongin right now. He’s … distraught’s too light a word.)

The young were-cat trembled violently against Chan’s chest, his blunted nails digging into the well-worn fabric of the Black Cat’s hoodie. Sobs shook his slender frame, words barely recognizable as he cried, overcome with the emotional trauma he clearly was still working through. Chan’s heart broke; Jeongin was even younger than Seungmin, and something clearly cruel happened to him because of his were-cat condition if he was seeking asylum. It was no small wonder that he was in pieces, and Chan felt the closest he’d been to crying in a long time; Jeongin’s pain was fresh and it was _strong_.

“It’s okay, Jeongin,” Chan whispered, holding the young man tight, “you’re safe now. Cry it all out, it’s okay. Don’t hold back. Get it all out. I’m here.” He rubbed Jeongin’s back, letting out a little bit more of a calming influence via his magic - just enough to create a safety net, but not enough to erase what the young man was going through. “You’re safe here.”

He could hear the sounds of the others slowly coming down the steps, thankfully in a lot more calm manner than the usual mornings, the only sound filling the empty bar being Jeongin’s slowly quietening sobs. Chan didn’t stop rubbing the young man’s back until the tears stopped, and only when Jeongin suddenly pulled away in embarrassment. “Sorry,” he mumbled, roughly wiping at his eyes with his bandaged hand. “That wasn’t cool…” Sniffling, he ran a hand through his greyish blue hair, fingers trembling. “I-I’m fine.”

Chan nodded, knowing how embarrassed he must feel. “It’s okay if you’re not,” he said gently. 

Jeongin glanced over at him, stubborn, lengthy strands of his bangs getting in his eyes. “You said… you were a Black Cat?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Chan confirmed, nodding. He tapped his chest, and flicked his earring, ending it with a little flourish of green and black wisps of energy. “Got the Mark, got the earring, the magic. The whole deal.”

Nodding slightly, Jeongin sniffed and looked away. “I think… they were trying to make me… like you.”

Chan’s brows furrowed. “Make you? You’re not a…?” As he looked closer at Jeongin, he could see there _was_ an earring affixed to his right ear, but it seemed to be more of an ID tag than the soulmate earring he’d grown accustomed to seeing.

Jeongin slowly shook his head, tension rising in his slender frame. He gripped the water bottle Hyunjin had given him, the plastic crinkling loudly. “No, I’m not. If … If I say it, you have to … you have to _promise_ not to kick me out. You _can’t_ , okay?” He looked up from the bottle, bluish green eyes bright, as if he wasn’t possibly five years Chan’s junior and just gave an ultimatum to the older man.

Chan blinked. “I wasn’t going to.”

Seemingly placated by the confused confirmation, Jeongin looked down at the bottle of water, unscrewing it and taking a large gulp to try and steel his frazzled nerves. “I think they… they tried to _make_ a were-cat that could… use magic. That wasn’t… a Black Cat,” Jeongin started, forcing himself to speak and speak clearly. “To try and… sell, for more money. It didn’t… work. It didn’t… work and I’m not … anything. I’m like a messed up grey ball of mange.”

As detailed as Jeongin was, there was a lot of information missing in what he was saying. Fortunately - or unfortunately - Chan could feel the undercurrents of what Jeongin felt, and got a _much_ clearer picture of just what had been done to the boy. He put a hand to his mouth to control his gag reflex, struggling to keep his composure. The images that came through Jeongin’s emotions were… unimaginable. “Jeongin,” Chan started, frowning thinly. “I’m sorry, that someone did that to you, that’s… that’s… awful’s too kind a word. — You’re not an abomination and you’re not getting kicked out of here. I promise.”

“You don’t know what I can do though,” Jeongin protested.

Lightly, Chan nudged him and tried to give him a small smile. “I thought you were trying to make a case to stay here.” Caught, Jeongin turned red in embarrassment and took another gulp of water instead of responding. “You’re welcome to stay here, I’m serious about that. I’ll need to talk to the others, but I doubt they’ll protest.”

Jeongin frowned. “But you said this is a Host Bar. If people see me here, you’re going to lose business. Look at me!” He pointed at his unnaturally bright, bluish-green eyes, and gestured pointedly to his grey/blue hair.

“I mean, you don’t look any different than me,” Jisung said, surprising the young man as he leaned over the back of the couch, resting his chin on his forearms. “I’m literally two different colours because biology thought it’d be hilarious. Chan-hyung’s got two different coloured eyes too.” He smiled. “I’m Jisung.”

“Jeongin,” the boy replied, baffled. He turned to Chan. “He really gets customers?”

“Hey!”

Chan laughed a little. “Yeah, he’s very popular.” Seeing Changbin shuffle over, Chan waved at him to come closer, on his side of the couch. “Minho went to see if anybody was following our new friend here. Mind taking a look to see if he’s all right? I know he can take care of himself, but he’s been gone for a couple hours.”

Recognition dawned on Changbin’s features and he nodded, waking up fully. “Yeah, you got it. He’s either found them and making a point or he’s being _too_ thorough. I’ll find him.” Changbin grabbed his coat and pulled out the handkerchief, tying it around his neck before heading out.

“Do you have any allergies?” Seungmin asked, standing beside Jisung behind the couch. When Jeongin looked at him oddly, Seungmin looked a bit embarrassed and pointed to the kitchen. “Felix-hyung is making breakfast and he wanted to know if you’re allergic to anything before he starts.”

Confused, Jeongin looked at Chan. “Shouldn’t they be afraid of me?”

Chan smiled. “They won’t be unless you give them a reason to be. We’re all… not quite in the same boat as you, but we’ve all… we’re all strays; we’ve banded together to help each other out and we’ll help you out. You’re _you_ , Jeongin. That won’t ever change.” He placed a hand on Jeongin’s knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Take your time to process everything, but know that we’re here; you can talk to any one of us.”

Fiddling with the bottle, it wasn’t until Jeongin caught sight of Hyunjin behind Seungmin, who gave him a small smile and a nod that he nodded himself. “That’s new, don’t think anybody’s _wanted_ to be with me before,” he commented, staring down at the bottle in his hands. “Um, no… no allergies. I don’t… like beans, though.” He wiggled his fingers a little near his mouth. “Texture. I hate the texture.”

Seungmin smiled and nodded. “I’ll let hyung know.”

As Seungmin headed to the kitchen and pulled Jisung along to help, Hyunjin - now dressed in casual clothes and decidedly less rumpled - looked over at Jeongin with a small smile. “You seem confused, Jeongin,” he said, leaning over the back of the couch, in between Jeongin and Chan.

“I’m … it’s just … I told you what I am and you guys don’t care,” Jeongin said, fingers digging into the crinkling plastic bottle. “I don’t get it.”

“It’s not that we don’t care,” Hyunjin explained carefully, taking his time in choosing his words. “It’s that… how do I say it? We know… that it’s a part of you, but it’s not the _only_ thing you are, you know? You’re Jeongin. You can be more than that, but it’s also still you. You know?”

“No,” Jeongin replied flatly, but there was a small smile tugging at his lips. “No, I … thank you. I just… this is the first time… no one’s … that someone…”

“That someone cares?” Chan asked gently.

Jeongin nodded. “Yeah.”

Chan smiled warmly at that, and nodded. “I know what you mean. But we’re ride or die here; you’ll be safe and we’ll make sure of it. Ah, Jeongin, can I ask you something?”

Though he seemed very hesitant to agree, Jeongin slowly nodded. “It… only seems fair.”

“How old are you?” Chan asked, wondering if his hunch was correct.

“Eighteen, I’ll be nineteen on Christmas,” Jeongin answered softly.

Chan’s eyes widened. “You’re a Christmas baby? That’s cute —” He appeared sheepish when Jeongin glared at him with a pout forming on his scratched lips. “Sorry, sorry. But we’re totally going to do something on Christmas for you.”

Jeongin stared at him. “What, why?”

“Because we’re sluts for birthdays!” Jisung called from the kitchen. “Ow!” He pouted when Felix smacked him on the back of the hand with a ladle. “What?”

“Language,” Felix said, waving the ladle at him. “You need to be setting a good example as a hyung. That’s why Seungmin doesn’t respect you.”

“We don’t have enough hours in the day for the whole list as to why I don’t,” Seungmin teased, laughing when Jisung launched himself at him, hanging off him with a wail of despair.

Chan chuckled. “You’d think they were born years apart but it’s only a matter of days between those three,” he explained to Jeongin. “I’m sure Hyunjin explained this to you, but it’s loud here. Really loud. I hope that’s okay.”

Jeongin smiled slightly. “It’s… nice.” He looked up at Chan. “—Ghost Tabby.”

“Huh?” Chan blinked, tilting his head slightly. “Ghost Tabby?”

Embarrassed, Jeongin looked down at his hands. “That’s what they called… what type of were-cat I am. Not really an official breed, but…”

“That sounds really cool,” Hyunjin enthused, smiling. “Chan-hyung’s a Black Cat, I’m a Cheetah, Felix is a Lynx, Jisungie is a Chimera, Seungmin is a Maine Coon, and Minho is a Birman, while Changbin is a Bobtail. You’ll meet those last two soon.”

“I hope,” Chan said, glancing over at the door. “They’ve both been gone a long time.”

Jeongin frowned. “You said … Minho… you said he went to see if I was followed?”

Chan nodded. “Minho knows the area really well, like on the street level and he wanted to make sure that no one followed you here. I hope he’s all right, but he’s tough. So’s Changbin.”

“If anybody can handle themselves, it’s those two,” Hyunjin agreed.

As if on cue, the doors to _God’s Menu_ opened and Minho walked in, followed closely by Changbin. Nothing seemed out of place, but Minho’s hands were scratched up and bleeding, roughly bandaged by his handkerchief. “There you two are!” Chan exclaimed, rising to his feet. “Is everything okay?”

Changbin nodded as Minho wiped his mouth roughly with the back of his sleeve. “I caught up with Min over by the industrial part of the neighbourhood, seems like whoever the kid ran away from were sending guys in waves to look for him and spreading out over the area so we were sending word to our friends and making sure they were getting sent in different directions. Took a while but I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be a bother.”

“We have them running in so many circles, they won’t even think to come here,” Minho added, removing the cloth from around his hands. “How’s the kid?”

“Thank you, you guys; that’s amazing. Jeongin’s shaken up, but he’ll be okay,” Chan answered, walking over. “Good thing the first-aid kid is still out. Come on, let me patch you up. — did you get hurt, Binnie?”

Changbin shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. Just some minor scratches that have pretty much closed already.”

Chan nodded back. “Okay.”

Quietly, as he set down the somewhat dented bottle of water, Jeongin looked up at Changbin. “Thank you, Changbin-ssi, Minho-ssi,” he said, clearing his throat.

Changbin waved a hand and plopped down in the chair across from Jeongin. “Don’t mention it, we watch each other’s backs here. — Ayo, Chan-hyung; you ever thrown hands?”

Chan blinked from where he was cleaning up the scrapes on Minho’s fists. “No, not really. Though I did give a bully a mental breakdown when I was six because he wouldn’t stop harassing me. I made him feel how I was feeling.” He sighed. “That was before I learned how to control my magic. I’m much more careful with it now.” He gestured to his face. “Though that kid was how I got this scar.”

Hyunjin stared. “How bad was the injury that you still have a dark scar all these years later?”

“Pretty bad,” Chan admitted. “He hated how my eyes looked so he tried to smash the yellow one with a rock. It was a pretty jagged one so it clipped me pretty good. My … old man, he didn’t think I was worth taking to the clinic so I tried to do it myself. I only managed not to get it infected, so it healed pretty badly.” He felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled, recognizing Felix’s scent. “I’m all right now; that was a long time ago and… I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t go through all that. It made me really appreciate the good people in the world when I met them. Like you guys.”

Felix smiled and hugged Chan from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder, the broken heart charm on his left ear jingling softly. “You gotta let us support you too sometimes,” he said, giving Chan a squeeze. “But for now, breakfast is ready. — Jeongin, I made sure it was bland enough for an upset stomach. Hyunjin-hyung mentioned that your stomach might be a bit sensitive from the blood loss.”

Jeongin blinked and smiled, nodding with a little bow. “Thank you. I’m… I’ll be fine.” Slowly, carefully, he pulled the thin blanket off his lap and stood, wincing, as his joints were stiff from being in one spot for so long, and his muscles sore from the strenuous act of escaping from his captors. Hyunjin was by his side in an instant, helping him towards what was now becoming their dining room table, the other were-cats following suit.

Chan turned his head slightly, a blush creeping along his cheeks as one of his cheeks brushed against Felix’s lips. He hadn’t realized that he was still so close. At this proximity, Chan could count each one of Felix’s freckles, particularly his favourite starburst on Felix’s nose. “Thank you for making breakfast,” Chan said quietly, a smile creasing his lips. “You don’t have to do it everyday, you know; we can make the others take turns… including myself.”

Felix shook his head, Chan’s eyes drawn to the paired earring on his soulmate’s ear. They were so close, he could just … do it now. He could… say it. Felix was so close; Chan saw each one of Felix’s pale blond eyelashes, long and brushing against his under eye. “ _You do a lot for us already_ ,” Felix whispered, his green eyes outshining even the most beautiful emeralds. “ _You should let us… take care of you. Let me take care of you_.”

“Lix…?” he felt like he was having an out of body experience, revelling in the soft puff of air against his cheek from Felix’s soft spoken English, in the way Felix’s lips parted and pressed against each other as he spoke. His lips looked soft. They _felt_ soft, with how close he was. Even the slight brush of Felix’s lips against his warming cheek stoked the long-suppressed desire that Chan had kept sealed deep inside himself. As he turned his head after speaking Felix’s nickname, he hadn’t realized that Felix had tilted his head to look at him and their lips brushed together.

Everything fell away; even the boisterous laughter and conversation from the table filled with their friends that were mere feet away became muted, the only thing Chan was able to focus on was Felix’s soft lips pressing tighter and his hand turning Chan’s neck to alleviate the awkwardness of their position. Chan could feel the Lynx’s grip tighten on his shoulder, tongue sliding along Chan’s bottom lip in a silent question.

His mind reeled, the earring on his right ear feeling like it was about to burn right off his earlobe. The haze of finally tasting Felix, of kissing him like he’d dreamed of for so many long months, Chan couldn’t stop himself from parting his lips in silent consent. A dam had broken, and Felix was the wave that was crashing into his shore, his kiss deepening skillfully, fingertips brushing over Chan’s _golden wattle_ tattoo on his neck. The Lynx’s touch set fire to wherever they ghosted along Chan’s flushed skin, and the Black Cat instinctively placed a hand on Felix’s freckled cheek with his right hand, cupping it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. Like _Felix_ was the most precious person in the world.

Slowly, when the need to breathe became greater than the growing whirlwind pulling the two young men together, Chan’s eyes finally opened to see Felix’s bright green eyes alight with happiness. “…Hey,” he whispered.

“Hey,” Felix whispered back.

Chan swallowed. “Felix, about this, there’s something I need to tell you —”

“— If you two don’t come over here and eat in the next thirty seconds, I’m going to kill both of you and I know a hundred ways to use your bones!” Minho shouted.

“That’s so hot,” Jisung whispered.

“Keep it in your pants,” Hyunjin hissed.

Chan sighed, rubbing his forehead as Felix groaned, lowering his head and pressing it to the back of the couch. “Let’s go before he makes good on his threat,” Chan said, rising to his feet and placing a hand on Felix’s slender, sloped shoulder. He gave what he hoped was a hopeful, reassuring smile and gestured with his head. “I don’t know about you, but I rather like living.”

The Lynx were-cat nodded and looked over at the hand on his shoulder, placing his hand over it with a wry smile back. “Yeah, same,” Felix agreed, sighing ruefully. “What were you going to say, though?”

“It can wait,” Chan replied, smiling apologetically as he walked with the younger were-cat towards the table where most of the others had chewed through their breakfast at a breakneck pace - including Jeongin, whose appetite was surprisingly voracious. His phone beeped as he sat down, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Ah, good news. Those beds we ordered are being delivered today; we can get those set up and figure out the new sleeping arrangement.”

Changbin snorted. “Ain’t nothing like putting together furniture to really test if we have a strong enough bond.”

“We somehow survived _Monopoly_ ,” Jisung pointed out.

Seungmin grumbled softly as he poked at the remnants of his breakfast. “Survived is _one_ way to describe it.”

“Just don’t listen to Changbin when he tries to help you,” Minho offered, finally relaxing now that Chan and Felix were eating. “He hasn’t won a single game before.”

Changbin rolled his eyes. “Big talk coming from a man who never remembers how useful the utilities are until you’re sitting on St. Charles with bupkis.”

“Utilities are only useful for trades, if you go for railroads you win like 90% of the time,” Jeongin said, finishing off his third plate. “The only thing worse is going for blues.”

Minho eyed him. “Park Place and Boardwalk work out for me, okay?”

Jeongin rolled his eyes slightly. “You’d be better off buying the oranges and punishing people who land on that board because of how it’s set up. It’s so simple.”

Always eager to tease Minho with backup, Hyunjin nodded with a grin. “ _Yeah!_ _It’s so easy, man_ ,” he said in English, laughing when Minho threw a balled up napkin at him.

“What is with these kids and getting mouthy when they’re comfortable?” Changbin demanded, though he was laughing.

Chan chuckled after sneaking a glance at Felix, the two of them sharing a smile. “Something’s in the water, for sure,” he laughed.

As the Black Cat looked over and down the long table, with four of them on each side, a warm smile creased his lips; over the past few months, the wavelength he’d sense from his growing band of strays started to unify, and with Jeongin’s presence, finally came together.

Then the beds were delivered and all hell broke loose.

For a brief, beautiful moment, there had been harmony inside of _God’s Menu_ , but the minute that it came time to assemble the frames chaos reigned. Chan watched in disbelief as arguments broke out, irrelevant and pointless alliances were formed, and negotiations were made to trade skills and sabotage the others all happened in front of him. He’d put together his new bed frame and already lugged the box spring and mattress onto it in the time that it’d taken everyone else to sell each other out for an allen key. It didn’t matter if Chan checked in on the top level or the basement level, it was a mess on both fronts.

Deciding that it would be pointless to get involved with … whatever was going on with the others, Chan put his energy towards keeping an eye on Jeongin. Dressed in some of Hyunjin’s clothing, Jeongin moved a lot more gingerly than the others due to his still fresh wounds. “Want some help?” Chan asked, watching from the side.

“Ah, yeah, that would be great,” Jeongin said gratefully, his fingers having issues holding onto the screwdriver due to the pressure it had on his bandaged wrists. “Thank you, hyung.”

“Oh _he’s_ hyung?” Seungmin asked in disbelief from where he was trying to wrestle the allen key from Jisung’s hand. “Give me this one, you have one of your own!”

“Yours works better!” Jisung protested.

“That doesn’t even make sense!”

Chan and Jeongin shook their head ruefully in sync, and turned back to Jeongin’s bed. “You couldn’t have ordered a bed for me in the few hours I was here,” Jeongin started, as he flicked his gaze up to catch Chan’s, “so how come there’s eight?”

“Oh, that’s not much of a mystery; I wanted to make sure there was at least one spare in case… well, in case we had a surprise guest,” Chan explained, getting to work on tightening up the screws on the frame. “I’m not sure if everybody is going to stay here permanently, but one of the things that Felix and I were talking about doing with _God’s Menu_ is be some sort of safe space for stray were-cats, or ones that are just looking for a place they can figure themselves out. Need space for that, so…”

Jeongin nodded slowly. “So it really is a were-cat haven.”

The Black Cat laughed and nodded. “I guess it is!” As he opened his eyes, Chan blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. He reached up and rubbed his eyes, brows furrowing: even though he knew in his head that they were in the midst of assembling the bed frame, he could clearly see in front of himself a fully completed bed. Confused, Chan reached out with a hand and tried to touch the ‘mattress’ but understandably, his hand went through it.

“…are you okay?” Jeongin asked, tilting his head.

“Yeah, I’m … I think I’m just tired. I can see a whole bed in front of me,” Chan answered, baffled. “I don’t know if I’m manifesting it that hard, or what, but…” He trailed off, seeing Jeongin’s startled look. “— are you okay?”

The ghost tabby were-cat didn’t reply right away, instead staring down at his bandaged hands. “How could you see it too?” he asked quietly to himself, frowning. “I thought… only I could see those things.”

“Jeongin?” Chan prompted carefully, leaning forward. “What do you mean ‘only you could see those things’?”

Chewing on his lip, Jeongin still refused to meet Chan’s eyes, though he did answer the Black Cat. “Sometimes… when I was… there, with those people… I could… like, visualize things really clearly. I could see it like it was right in front of me, it didn’t matter what it was: putting together a puzzle, or thinking that the view outside my cell was… somewhere nice.” Suddenly flinching as he nicked open his slowly healing lip, Jeongin pressed his bandaged hand to the opening wound. “But you could see it too? The finished bed?”

Chan nodded slowly. “Yeah, it’s clear right in front of me. I mean, sort of. I can’t touch it.”

“— what’s that look for?” Jeongin suddenly demanded, leaning forward despite the pressure and pain he was putting on his wrists by leaning on them as they pressed against his knees, “what do you know, hyung?”

Startled himself now, Chan shook his head. “No, it’s… I’m just thinking. You said… ‘they’ were trying to make you a Black Cat? Do you … know what kind of magic they were trying to make you have?”

Jeongin felt silent, but instead of the fear and confusion Chan expected to feel at broaching the question, the young were-cat instead felt … calm, almost eerily so. Like he knew the answer because it’d been drilled into his head everyday since he’d been born. “They wanted me to manipulate people with what they saw,” he began, his voice almost inaudible, “why?”

“… Because I don’t think this … experiment of theirs was as big a failure as you think it is,” Chan answered cautiously. “Jeongin, would you be okay meeting my mentor? She’s a Black Cat, and one of the most skilled ones I know. She might be able to help.”

For a long moment, Jeongin didn’t answer, instead focusing intently on the half-assembled bed frame, which now seemed to take on the image of a jail cell cot. “Do you think… she can?” he asked finally.

“Even if she doesn’t have the full answer, I’m confident she’ll know where we can look to find it,” Chan confirmed.

“…Okay.”

“Thank you for trusting me, Jeongin.” Chan smiled and placed a hand on the young were-cat’s knee.

Nodding slowly, Jeongin smiled weakly. “It can’t be worse than the people I already trusted who did this to me, right?”

As his heart broke, Chan set the screwdriver down and pulled Jeongin into a gentle hug. “They’ll never hurt you again, I promise.”

“…Thank you,” Jeongin whispered, nodding against Chan’s chest. “L-Let’s get this stupid thing finished, I … I’m starting to get a headache from everybody else’s bickering.”

Blinking, Chan smiled; it seemed sarcasm and biting humour was Jeongin’s method of coping. “Sure, let’s do it. — just give me a second to touch base with Miss. Raven.”

 **Chan [11:31 a.m.]  
** Morning, Raven-noona  
Could you call me when you have a chance?  
A young were-cat showed up at the Bar last night  
I think he might be a Black Cat

Knowing Raven likely wouldn’t respond to him right away, Chan locked his phone and slipped it into his back pocket. He was then surprised to hear his phone ring not a few minutes later. He apologized to Jeongin before answering. “Hello?”

“Good Morning,” came Raven’s voice from the other end of the line, “your text seemed to be leaving out something important: what do you mean you ‘think’ this boy is a Black Cat?”

“Ah, Raven-noona… my apologies; I was being vague on purpose since this isn’t something I felt comfortable texting about. This boy, he was… the people he ran away from, they were trying to _create_ a Black Cat so they could use him and his magic for their own means. He says that he was a failed project, but I think he might actually have some kind of magical ability. Would you be able to come by sometime and see him?”

There was a long pause at the other end of the line, and Chan bit his lip. “Yes,” Raven eventually confirmed, after a loud rustling of thick paper, “I can at the end of the week - Friday. I imagine that mornings are best for you?”

“Yes, please come down at any time,” Chan said, relief washing over his face. “Thank you, noona.”

“It’s no problem,” Raven replied, and Chan could hear the smile in her voice. “I will help however I can.”

“Thank you! I’ll see you Friday.”

“See you then.”

Chan ended the call and pocketed his phone, giving Jeongin a hopeful smile. “Miss. Raven will come by on Friday.”

Jeongin gave him a thin smile in return. “Let’s hope I can be helped.”

~ * ~

Chan had only two things he needed to do that week and it appeared only one of them was going to happen: (1) talk with Felix about what happened between them, and (2) help Jeongin. Any time he tried to talk to Felix, something else happened. Just before the club opened? There was a crisis with the kitchen equipment. After the day was done? A jealous boyfriend tried to barge their way into the club and take a swing at Hyunjin. Any spare time in between appointments? Someone needed assistance or advice. In the night while the others were asleep? Jeongin’s night terrors were keeping him awake and he and Hyunjin had to take turns keeping him company. Chan couldn’t even be mad at the interruptions - they were all valid and he _knew_ it wasn’t on purpose, but it was beginning to feel like fate was having a go with him.

As Friday morning came around, Chan sighed as he descended the stairs, blinking, as there was already the smells of breakfast coming from the kitchen. Curiously, Chan poked his head in and saw Jeongin struggle to clean up a spill; judging from the shattered glass, he’d accidentally dropped a glass of water. A small smile came to Chan’s lips and he gently rapped at the doorframe leading into the kitchen. “You okay?”

Jumping and dropping the rag he was holding, Jeongin’s face was bright with embarrassment. “I’m fine,” he stammered. He looked over at the broken pieces of glass that he’d thrown into another bowl and his shoulders hunched up. “Sorry, I… I didn’t mean to break it.”

“It’s just a glass,” Chan assured him as he entered. “Did you get hurt?”

“No…”

“Then it’s just a glass and I didn’t have to lecture it for hurting you,” Chan said with a smile, hoping that the lighthearted joke would land. “It’s a bit rough around the edges.”

Jeongin gave him a _look_.

“No? Tough crowd,” Chan lamented jokingly as he popped a grape into his mouth. He blinked as there was a knock at the door. “Ah, she’s early.” Chan gestured with an inclination of his head for Jeongin to follow him to the front doors, deftly opening all the locks and opening the door to reveal Raven. She was dressed head to toe in black and silver, her eyes a pale, silvery blue. “Morning, Raven-noona. Thank you for coming; please, come in.”

Raven inclined her head and stepped in, looking around the bar with quiet interest. “Ah, so this is the actual location,” she mused to herself. Glancing over at Chan, her eyes went to Jeongin who jumped a bit. “You needn’t be afraid; I won’t hurt you. What’s your name?”

Jeongin quickly looked at Chan, who nodded with a small smile. “Yang Jeongin,” he answered dutifully. He tensed as Raven touched his chin with a finger, tilting his head from side to side, as if scrutinizing each and every one of his wounds. She was silent, the only sound wafting through the bar being the sounds of Chan locking the doors. “Um…?”

“I see,” Raven murmured. “Let’s sit down; I see what Chan meant now.”

Confused, Jeongin looked at Chan for help, and the Black Cat smiled and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay,” he reassured him, guiding Jeongin and Raven over to one of the smaller host stations. “Miss. Raven taught me everything I know about being a Black Cat, and she’s really knowledgeable about Black Magic. If anybody can figure out what’s going on, it’s her.”

“I’m not really a Black Cat, though,” Jeongin protested.

“You are, and you aren’t,” Raven replied, her statement startling both young men. Carefully, she took Jeongin’s left hand, and gently pushed up his sleeve, placing her free hand on his forearm. Her black nails shifted purple in the light, and Jeongin stared as the birthmark on his upper forearm began to darken. “One of your parents was a Black Cat, so the magic was there… but it was suppressed by your other parent’s genetics. Whether they were also a were-cat or a human, I cannot tell. But…” Her eyes narrowed and turned completely black and Chan could feel a slow build of anger roll off her lithe frame.

Jeongin looked between Chan and Raven. “But… but what?”

Raven closed her eyes briefly and when she reopened them, they were the same steely blue they’d been before. “But a Black Cat with no morals and no discipline tried to pull your magic to the surface and instead right fucked it up.” She sighed and shook her head. “I apologize for my language, but this… really pisses me off; they must have thought because you’re still growing that it would even itself out even if they screwed up. The sheer audacity to do this…” She shook her head and exhaled slowly, calming herself. “And to a _child_.”

“…Miss. Raven?” Chan asked carefully; he’d never seen his mentor so angry. Despite her outward expression seemed to be the same stoic one he’d grown used to seeing, inside, Raven was livid and barely containing it. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she assured him, her voice having a slight edge to it that betrayed her anger. “Minho, was it? May I have the item you picked up from those men you followed?”

Chan was confused at her directly asking Minho a question when he wasn’t there, until he saw Minho move from out in the shadows, the Birman equally as startled at being directly addressed. “How did you know I had this?” Minho asked, cautious as he held out his hand that held a wristwatch. 

Raven inclined her head in thanks. “Thank you. And you were thinking quite loudly about it; I try and make it a point not to actively read minds, but sometimes things are… hmm, they’re insistent.” Carefully, Raven plucked the wristwatch out of Minho’s hand and rubbed the pad of her thumb over the watch face. “…Yes, this will be enough to find them.”

“—What are you going to do?” Chan asked.

Minho glanced from Chan to Raven. “You’re going to take this into your own hands, aren’t you?”

Raven hummed softly, almost noncommittally. “There is no formal code amongst Black Cats that binds their conduct, but for the most part we try to use our magic for good or at the least, not to harm for our own gain. However, there are those that decide not to adhere to this unwritten code. I am no ruler, I cannot force anyone to do anything… but once someone harms one of my Black Cats with their magic, I will not stand by and let them think that there will be no consequences.”

“O-One of your… but you just met me,” Jeongin said, baffled.

Lightly, Raven ruffled his hair. “You’re one of mine.”

Realization dawned on Chan’s face. “You’re… going to _hex_ them, aren’t you, noona?” he asked quietly, though he already knew the answer.

“They’ll face the consequences of their actions,” was all Raven said as she pocketed the watch. “As for you, Jeongin… I will teach you.”

Jeongin stared at her. “T-Teach me? Teach me what?”

Raven smiled kindly at him. “How to control your magic.” She gently ran the nail of her index finger along the Mark on his upper forearm. “This is the rune for illusions. You can make things appear that aren’t really there, can’t you?” Startled, Jeongin could only nod. “That is your magic. While you can’t do magic on the scale of, say, masking an entire building with an illusionary spell, you still have quite a bit of magic in you.” She smiled, giving his hands a squeeze. “You’re stronger than you think.”

The young were-cat stared down at his forearm, reaching up with a trembling hand to ghost his fingers over the darkening mark. As Chan looked at it, it was indeed half-formed, not quite as robust or detailed as his or Hoseok’s, but it was still a Black Cat’s Mark. “I’m not… some kind of freak experiment?” he asked quietly.

“No,” Raven confirmed, her voice soft. “You’re a half Black Cat. But even if you weren’t, Chan and the others would still have you here.”

“It’s true, we would,” Chan agreed with a warm smile. “I meant it when I said you could stay here, Jeongin.”

Struggling to withhold the tears so he wouldn’t appear to be a baby, Jeongin roughly wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his (well, Hyunjin’s) shirt. “I thought… I thought I was… some kind of science fiction freak,” he whispered, voice cracking. “But someone still… they still tried to …” He frowned, clenching his hands into fists. Suddenly, he looked up at Raven, his bluish-green eyes bright with determination. “You said you can teach me how to… how to use this? So I’m not… so I don’t hurt anyone?”

Raven nodded. “Yes, I can teach you how to control your magic.” Quietly, she pulled out her phone and unlocked it, scrolling through her calendar. “Hmm, this will be a bit difficult to schedule with the _Whitechapel_ line launch but I can make it work. — he isn’t working here as of yet, is he, Chan?”

Chan started, surprised to be pulled into the conversation so suddenly. “No, he isn’t. If he wanted to work here, he’s eighteen so he could technically work as a waiter, maybe a host when he turns nineteen but he wouldn’t be able to consume alcohol and with the drink orders they’d have to be done by a host that is of age.”

“Mm. Then that makes this easier,” Raven said with a slight nod. “One day a week, I’ll send a car and he’ll spend the day with me learning his magic. The day may change, but I will advise ahead of time. Jeongin, is that all right with you?”

Slowly, Jeongin nodded. “I don’t… really have anywhere else to go, so … whatever works for you, noona.”

She smiled and returned his nod. “I look forward to teaching you, Jeongin. I wish I could stay longer, but there are quite a few matters that I need to attend to.” Raven chuckled, turned her phone towards Chan and Jeongin, showing them the deluge of text, and email notifications – a good portion of them being from Seokjin. “No rest for the wicked.”

As she rose to her feet, so too did Chan and Jeongin, both of them hastily bowing. “Thank you for your help, Raven-noona,” Chan said earnestly, bowing deeply. “I know how busy you are. We really appreciate it.”

Raven waved a hand and pulled both of them in for a warm hug. “I will always help if I’m able,” she said kindly.

“—how badly are you going to hex them?” Jeongin asked suddenly, curiosity getting the better of him.

Before Chan could admonish the younger Black Cat, Raven laughed. “I’ll find them, and my colleague Kwon Jiyong will take care of the hexes. Depending on how they behave, they might be permanent. You won’t have to worry about them trying this again.” She winked and released the two young men, nodding once before heading off.

Changbin let out a low whistle, now standing beside Minho. “Remind me never to piss her off,” he said, impressed.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen her so angry,” Chan agreed, in disbelief.

“Did she really say Kwon Jiyong? Like…G-Dragon? I didn’t know he was a Black Cat,” Changbin commented, running a hand through his hair. He let out another low whistle. “Definitely not going to piss her off now.”

Minho snorted. “You just want to keep the option open to meet G-Dragon.”

“Nothing gets by you, Sherlock,” Changbin retorted sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. “Come on, it’s our turn to make breakfast. C’mon, kid. You’re coming too.”

Jeongin jumped slightly, having been in somewhat of a daze. “R-Right.” He nodded and hurried along after Changbin and Minho to the kitchen as Hyunjin and Seungmin came down a bit later in staggered times after finally getting a chance at the shower.

“Why is it never a quiet morning here?” Felix asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt as he leaned in heavily to Chan’s side. “And why are you always warm?”

Momentarily forgetting how to use his words because of the unbelievably domestic and beautiful sight in front of him, Chan’s cheeks decided they’d set themselves on fire before anything else. He swallowed tightly and struggled to remember how words worked. “I asked Miss. Raven to help Jeongin as I had a hunch he did have some magical ability. It turns out he’s actually half Black Cat.”

Felix woke up at that. “What, really? How’d you figure that out?”

“When we were putting the beds together, I could see this… like, mirage of a fully put together bed, but I couldn’t touch it. Jeongin admitted that he could do things like that for as long as he could remember. Miss. Raven came by just now and was able to figure out that he was a half, and another Black Cat tried to… how do I even explain it? Like they tried to use their magic to make Jeongin’s magic be at 100% rather than the 50% it’d be at.”

The Lynx were-cat frowned and gripped Chan’s arm a bit tighter. “That’s nuts… poor Jeonginie.”He smiled. “I’m glad you were able to help him figure that out.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Chan admitted, rubbing his neck. “It was all Miss. Raven. She’s even going to train him once a week so he can get a handle on his illusion magic.”

“He wouldn’t have gotten that help if you didn’t figure it out,” Felix pointed out. “Give yourself some credit, Channie-hyung.” He smiled and pressed his lips to Chan’s cheek, quick and brief, before shuffling over and helping Seungmin and Hyunjin with the table.

Dumbfounded, Chan reached up and touched his cheek, and a faint smile creased his lips. Now walking on a cloud, the Black Cat ambled towards the table, sitting down in his usual spot and barely listening to the conversation as it trailed all around the room. The routine was well in place by this point, and even without a formal reminder, the young men of _God’s Menu_ knew the drill.

“What’s the worst way you could ask someone out?” Jisung asked suddenly, interrupting the peaceful silence that had hung over breakfast.

Chan blinked. “What?”

“Like, we spend all our nights doing the best pick-up lines and romancing our customers and being generally hot shit,” Jisung said, waving his chopsticks. “But I was just thinking it’d be hilarious to think of the worst pick-up lines. Not offensive, just bad.”

Seungmin raised an eyebrow. “I hate to say this, but you’re going to need to give an example, hyung.”

Jisung grinned and in that moment, Seungmin knew he fucked up. “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, guess what? My bed has room for two.”

“That is so _stupid_. I love it,” Minho snickered. “Changbin, you’re up.”

Changbin smirked. “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, we could do it in a car.”

“Jeongin’s right here!” Chan exclaimed. “I thought Jisung said _not-offensive?_ ”

Jisung threw his head back and cackled, half in Minho’s personal space but the Birman didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he put an arm around Jisung’s shoulders and kept him where he was. “I can top that,” Minho offered.

“Please don’t,” Chan pleaded.

“Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, I can make you scream,” Minho sing-sang, barely able to get the lyric out before Changbin, Hyunjin, Felix and Jisung erupted into laughter. Chan and Seungmin stared in abject horror.

Seungmin shook his head. “That last one is verging dangerously into serial killer territory.”

“ _Verging?_ ” Jeongin echoed. “It did a backflip into it and flipped us all off.”

Chan groaned and put his face in his hands. “What did I do to deserve this?” he asked as he sat back, staring heavenward for guidance. Felix giggled and gently patted his shoulder.

~ * ~

November came and went, easily melting into December. Before they knew it, Christmas was upon the hosts of _God’s Menu_ , and with it came very important discussions as when the company party would be and why peppermint Hershey’s Kisses were the superior type to all others. Jeongin’s confidence grew the more he grew comfortable with his magic, and every week when he returned from Raven’s, he would excitedly show the others what he learned. He’d even gotten into the habit of pranking his hyungs with little visual tricks and always claimed that it was in the interest of practice. The more confident and comfortable with himself Jeongin grew, the less his night terrors seemed to be affecting him until he was soon sleeping through the night without worry.

Changbin had begun to take Felix under his wing, after the Lynx expressed some interest in learning how to defend himself during one of their appointments together. Within a month, Changbin had Felix throwing sharp right hooks and even helping him brush up on his dusty Taekwondo skills. Chan tried not to think about how good Felix would look in a Taekwondo uniform.

He failed, miserably.

Hyunjin began to flourish as Top Host, taking to the responsibility like a fish to water, still his vibrant and ostentatious self, but now with more confidence earned in the safety of a club that actually protected him. Seungmin was also slowly coming into his own, though Chan was beginning to realize that his personality was just a bit quieter than the others were, and he tended to stay to himself a lot just for the peace and quiet.

There was _definitely_ something going on with Minho and Jisung, but seeing as how it was none of his business, Chan stayed away from the development, though he’d heard enough gossip from the other hosts that things seemed to be going well. They’d stayed as a pairing for appointments, and were becoming quite popular with their will-they-won’t-they dynamic that played well to the fan service for the customers.

As the Bar’s success grew, the hosts at _God’s Menu_ were up to the task, but they were definitely looking forward to a Christmas break. On a snowy Christmas morning - he’d have to show Felix, realizing the young were-cat had never seen snow before - Chan looked down at his phone as it vibrated and smiled, seeing a message from Hoseok.

 **Hobi-hyung [8:00 a.m.]  
** Merry Christmas, Channie!! 

**Channie [8:01 a.m.]  
** Merry Christmas, hyung!

Chan smiled at the message, sending little Christmas themed emojis back to Hoseok and getting about a thousand of them in return, before realizing something and switching conversation threads.

 **Chan-hyung [8:05 a.m.]  
** Merry Christmas, Sannie!

 **Sannie [8:15 a.m.]  
** Merry Xmas, hyung! 

**Chan-hyung [8:17 a.m.]  
** We’re having a birthday party tonight for our newest addition, Jeongin  
We’d love it if you could make it 

**Sannie [8:20 a.m.]  
** I’ll be there with bells on   
Don’t tell anyone - I want to make a grand entrance

 **Chan-hyung [8:22 a.m.]  
** Always a slut for dramatics, huh?

 **Sannie [8:23 a.m.]  
** You know me all too well 

He’d just put his phone back on his desk when heard an incessant knocking at his door. Chan opened it and found himself with an armful of Felix, with the Lynx pressing his lips to Chan’s in a hungry kiss. The Black Cat was surprised enough that he was easily movable and Felix had no issue maneuvering them onto the bed and kicking the door shut. “L-Lix?” Chan asked numbly, his mouth hanging open in surprise as the Lynx were-cat attacked his neck with biting kisses. “W-Wait, what… what’s brought this on?”

Frustrated, Felix moved so that he was sitting in Chan’s lap. “We haven’t gotten any time together lately,” he whispered, leaning down and stealing a deep kiss, pleased by the soft whine that left Chan’s lips. “I know the Bar comes first, but…” He gripped Chan’s baggy sleep shirt with its wide neck, happily and perhaps greedily running his hands over the tattoos he found there. “How do you keep getting more of these?” Felix dipped his head, licking a long stripe along a new tattoo on Chan’s pectoral opposite of his Black Cat Mark of a spell book on a bed of midnight blue roses. “Shit. They look amazing on you. _You_ look amazing.”

Chan felt his soul leave his body; the area around that tattoo was still freshly healing and sensitive, and combined with Felix’s sinful confidence, the Black Cat was a goner. “I didn’t know you liked my tattoos so much,” he breathed.

“I like them because they’re on you,” Felix confessed, boldly grasping Chan’s hands and placing them on his hips.

“O-Oh? You don’t - _fuck,_ Lix - you don’t have a favourite?” the question was unbelievably benign, but Chan was having difficulty keeping his head above water, especially when Felix only seemed to be getting bolder as time went on.

Felix grinned and raised Chan’s right arm, pressing a sly kiss to his upper forearm where a nest of Aster and Morning Glory flowers encircled a tattered bandage that said ‘ _Just a Little Braver_ …’ with a devilish smirk, Felix’s tongue flicked out and licked a long stripe up the vibrant pinks, blues and purples of the flowers. “This one. I know you got this one because of me.”

Chan felt dizzy, yet somehow remained conscious enough to tighten his left hand that was on Felix’s right hip. “Why do you think that one’s because of you?” he asked breathlessly, chasing the younger man’s lips now that he could, now that it was _okay_ , that Felix clearly wanted it too. 

The grin on the Lynx were-cat’s face only got wider and pressed against Chan’s lips like he was tasting literal sunshine. “Aster and Morning Glory are the flowers for September,” Felix explained, stealing another kiss. “You’ve heard me say _Just a little braver_ to myself over and over since I’ve been here… and this…” he pulled away from Chan’s lips to press another kiss to the tattoo. “This is the date we met.”

Swallowing, Chan carefully reclaimed his hands and cupped Felix’s cheeks, staring in wonder at his kiss bitten lips, at the flush that seemed to heighten the beauty of his freckles, and how his pale blond hair seemed to be sun kissed and faded by it all at once. “Yeah,” Chan admitted hoarsely, running his tattooed thumb along the bottom of Felix’s lip, his soul leaving his body a second time when Felix’s tongue flicked out to guide it into his mouth. “This one’s about you. Meeting you back then… you changed my life, Lix.”

The desire that burned in Felix’s bright green eyes softened, and he lowered one of his hands from where they’d been anchored in Chan’s raven black hair and released his arm, cupping his cheeks instead. “You changed mine too,” Felix whispered, his voice low and thick with unexpected emotion as he pressed his forehead to the Black Cat’s, his fingers lightly playing with the earrings that lined Chan’s ears.

A genuine, wide smile creased Chan’s lips, and he squeezed his eyes shut, unable to handle the overwhelming happiness that was coursing through his veins. “Felix…”

“Come on, Chan,” Felix whispered, a mischievous smirk on his lips at dropping the usual honourific, “let’s have some fun before—”

The flurry of knocks at the door broke the heated moment as if on cue. “Wake up, hyung! We want to open presents and embarrass the hell out of Jeongin!” Jisung yelled. “Everyone says we gotta wait for you!”

Chan chuckled at Felix’s frustrated groan against his _golden wattle_ tattoo. “I should be calling you Jinxie instead of Lynxie,” he joked softly and pressed a kiss to the top of Felix’s head. Louder as he raised his chin, Chan called back, “just go down and get it all ready! I’m coming!”

“Okay! — Hyung says just get it ready and make sure Jeongin wears the Santa hat!” Jisung called.

“He didn’t say that!” Jeongin protested.

“Quit ruining Christmas, birthday boy!” Changbin faux-lectured, and Chan shook his head ruefully at the sounds of an (unsurprisingly) chaotic Christmas morning.

Once the riotous yelling had subsided enough for Chan to surmise that everyone was gone, he pressed a kiss toFelix’s nose, right to his favourite cluster of freckles. “Come on, let’s go. — no pouting on Christmas,” he chuckled. “Besides, I want to show you something.”

Felix was pouting even as he was brought over to the window in Chan’s room, and raised an eyebrow as the older man pulled open the blackout curtains. His eyes widened in wonder and he placed his hands on the windowsill, mouth slackening in awe. “ _Snow!_ ” He turned suddenly to Chan and giggled, dizzyingly excited at the sight. “ _It’s really snow! I was… I thought it wasn’t going to snow this year_ ,” he said to himself.

“We can go outside after breakfast and presents, and take a walk?” Chan suggested. “Or most likely, we’ll have a snowball fight because the others are collectively 10 years old.”

Felix nodded excitedly. “Let’s go!” He grabbed Chan by the wrist and easily pulled the older were-cat downstairs where everyone was gathered in the main area of the Bar, where a gorgeous Christmas tree they’d bought and fought a war over to put up stood. “Merry Christmas, everybody!”

A chorus of ‘Merry Christmas!’ came from the others, and Felix excitedly took a seat in between Changbin and Seungmin, leaving Chan to take what was left, the spot closest to the tree and across from Minho. Sometime in November, Chan had advised his mismatched family of hosts that they didn’t need to feel pressured to buy everybody something for Christmas, instead they’d draw names for each other, and pool together to buy something for Jeongin for his birthday. Thankfully, they’d all gone for it; Chan wasn’t sure what he’d do with a Christmas war on his hands.

“I guess it falls to me to hand out the presents,” Chan said, crossing his legs. “I don’t see how the other owner gets to skirt these responsibilities.”

Felix grinned. “Nobody listens to me like they listen to you, hyung.”

“Uh huh,” Chan laughed, looking over at the bottom of the tree, picking up the first box. “So these are secret as to who they’re from until you open it. Everybody should’ve put a little card as to who it’s from. If not, then… well, then I’m just disappointed.”

Seungmin looked over at the others. “I don’t know about you guys, but if hyung was disappointed in me, I think I’d die.”

“It’s that _dad_ disappointment,” Hyunjin agreed. “Like a dad that’s _actually_ a dad, you know?”

“Strangely enough, I do,” Jeongin said, blinking.

Changbin laughed. “It’s almost worse than being yelled at. At least if someone’s yelling at you, you can yell back. But disappointment? And from Chan-hyung? I’d be a real piece of garbage.”

“You know I’m right here, yeah?” Chan asked, amused as he handed Seungmin the first present. “And I’m not that much older than all of you, so watch yourselves.”

Carefully, Seungmin pulled at the taped edges of the wrapped box, being extremely gentle as he pulled the box free of its wrapping. His fingers were deft as they opened the box, his eyes widening as he moved aside the fluffy tissue paper, pulling out a journal and a little pen set. Inside of the journal was a little note: _Merry Christmas, Seungmin! You said you wanted to journal; I hope this helps. ~ Minho_

He smiled at the Birman were-cat and bowed. “Thank you, hyung.”

Minho nodded, pretending to be cool and collected about it, but he was unable to stop the warm smile from creasing his lips. “You’re welcome, Seungmin.”

Jisung made comical grabby hands to the present Chan passed along to him, making a bit of a show to shake the small box. “If my secret Santa put their love and affection for me in here, I’m going to be sad,” he joked as he carefully popped the lid on the box.

The Chimera were-cat waded through the tissue paper until he plucked out a handmade squirrel charm on a shimmery string, made out of felt and with a calming scent of lavender, jasmine and a hint of vanilla. Attached to the little squirrel’s neck was a tiny note: _Merry Christmas, Jisung! Keep this little guy close and he’ll help you when you’re stressed or anxious. – Love, Bang Chan_.

“This is so cute, what the hell,” Jisung whispered as he pressed the squirrel to his nose, inhaling the scent deeply. “Did you make this, hyung?”

Chan nodded, a little embarrassed. “It doesn’t quite look like the pattern I started with, but I think it looks enough like a squirrel, right? He even has your eyes and is two different colours!”

A bright smile came to Jisung’s lips and he nodded. “Thank you, hyung! This is… really thoughtful. Thank you.”

The Black Cat winked and looked at the next box in line. “Ah, this one has my name on it!” He paused as he picked up the box, running his tattooed fingers over the tag on the bag; there was something sentimental about seeing his name on a Christmas present, something he never really experienced as a child or as an adult. A warm smile came to his lips as he carefully tore the tape that sealed the bag, his eyes brightening as he pulled out a thick journal of sorts with a lock and a pen dangling from the clasp. Curiously, Chan opened the clasp and ran his finger down the handwritten inscription on the inside:

 _“Merry Christmas, hyung! I was going to buy you a music theory book, but I thought… that didn’t seem right for someone like you. So I, well, I wrote down everything I know about music and mixing and creating beats, but there’s a lot of room in the book for you to give writing a try. Let’s make a killer song someday, eh? ~ Changbin_. _”_

Surprise coloured Chan’s handsome features and he looked over at Changbin, a grateful smile on his lips. “Thank you, Changbin. This is really… this is really awesome! I’ll definitely do my homework so I don’t embarrass myself in the studio.”

Changbin waved a hand. “Everybody starts somewhere.” He grinned. “But I’m glad I finally got you to agree to give this a shot.”

“I realized… well, what do I have to lose?” Chan asked rhetorically, rubbing his neck as he put the bag down in front of him. “Can’t hurt to try.” Next, Chan picked up a colourful gift bag with a smattering of Christmas iconography and smiled at the nametag on it – he recognized Felix’s handwriting. “Jeongin, this one’s for you.”

Surprised and a bit shy as he took the bag, Jeongin hesitated for a moment before snapping the tape that sealed the bag and carefully pulled out a little mp3 player and a pair of corded earbuds. He found a note taped to the back of the little rectangular device. “Merry Christmas and happy birthday, Jeongine!” he read, blushing as he did so, “this little guy has a bunch of ASMR files on it to help you sleep better. ~ Love, Felix.” He held up the little mp3 player in awe, his bluish-green eyes bright with curiosity. “I only mentioned the ASMR stuff once, hyung…”

“And I’m glad you did! I was stuck on what to get you that we weren’t getting you for your birthday,” Felix said with a laugh. “Let me know when you wanna switch them up and I can show you how to do it.”

Jeongin nodded shyly. “Thank you, hyung.”

After Jeongin was Changbin, who was surprised to find that his gift was a book of myths from the sets of famous horror movies. “I remember when we watched that movie about the haunted psychiatric hospital that you loved hearing about those stories. Chan-hyung helped me find the book,” Seungmin explained shyly.

“This is so cool,” Changbin enthused as he smiled brightly at Seungmin. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Seungmin replied, his shoulders hunching up as he looked embarrassed at the attention, prompting Hyunjin to coo and hug him tightly.

Minho seemed surprised when Chan passed him his present, as if he wasn’t expecting to get one. He tilted his head to the side as he unwrapped the rectangular shaped present, his eyes widening when he saw a collection of short stories by Keigo Higashino, this one about his well-received Detective Daigoro Tenkaichi series. Inside was a little note from Jisung: _Merry Christmas, Minho-hyung. I hope you like this! I wasn’t sure which one to get that you didn’t already read.  
_ _PS: Wanna go on a date with me?  
_ _PPS: yes I’m a coward want to fight about it  
_ _~ Jisung_

Minho blinked slowly and a small smirk creased his lips as he finished the note. “Thank you, Jisung,” he said, and paused, thinking over the next part of his sentence. “And yes.”

Jisung was confused until he seemingly remembered what he wrote and turned bright red. “Good. That’s… Good. And you’re welcome, hyung.”

Jeongin looked confused and glanced between them then to Hyunjin. “What…?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Hyunjin instructed, waving a hand. “You’re better off not knowing.” Jeongin opened his mouth to ask a follow up question, then decided better of it, nodding slowly. “Who’s left, Chan-hyung?”

Chan looked over at the two remaining presents. “Felix and you,” he said, picking one up at random. “This one’s for Felix!”

“Ooh,” Felix exclaimed softly, taking the long gift box from the Black Cat.

It was light, and when Felix shook it, it gave a soft whump up and down. He pressed his ear to the box, green eyes filled with curiosity as he tried to puzzle it out. Eventually, Felix gave up on that, instead opening the box as carefully he could, though he accidentally ripped the top of the box when trying to peel the tape off. Apologetically, he looked at the others, who only seemed to look back at him with absolute fondness in his eyes. Embarrassed now, Felix carefully picked up what appeared to be an Australian soccer uniform, with his name ‘F. Lee’ printed on the back, and the number 15 on the back.

Buried deep in the tissue paper was a note: _Merry Christmas, Felix! Thank you for everything; if I hadn’t met you… I might still be in that awful place. I was worried this wasn’t going to come in time, but it’s a Christmas miracle. Show me some moves sometime when the weather gets warmer, yeah? ~ Love, Hyunjin   
__PS: for the love of Christ ask Chan-hyung out we’re all dying here_

A warm smile came to Felix’s lips and he slipped the note into his pocket and pulled the jersey on over his thin sleep shirt. “Fits like a glove, Hyunjin-hyung! Thank you! It’s even the new kit for the new season!” he enthused.

Hyunjin grinned. “You’re welcome, Yongbokie. But remember the postscript in that note~”

“I can’t read your handwriting, sorry,” Felix replied cheekily, sticking his tongue out. Hyunjin snorted, but let it lie with a wink.

“Last but certainly not least, for our Top Host,” Chan introduced, placing the small box in Hyunjin’s hands.

Seeing that it was light and not sealed, Hyunjin was careful not to rip the lid off, instead carefully peeling it off with a small grunt of effort. Inside, and resting on a bed of cotton was a set of three starburst hair barrettes, with black metal and white stones. Underneath the lid was a note from Jeongin: _Merry Christmas, Hyunjin-hyung! I hope you like this and… I want to thank you for everything. That first night, helping me out all the time since… thank you. ~ Jeongin_.

“Jeongin…” Hyunjin whispered before reaching over and pulling the young Ghost Tabby into a tight hug. “Thank you. That’s really sweet of you. I’ll wear them all the time for my appointments!”

Jeongin blushed brightly and looked away. “You don’t have to… but the lady said… it’d look good with your complexion…” That only served to make Hyunjin coo more and ruffle his hair affectionately, to which Jeongin looked as if he wanted a hole to open up and drag him asunder. The Cheetah were-cat took pity on him and sat back, setting the box down and immediately picking up the hair barrettes, working them into his golden blond hair with practiced ease. He winked at the young man and Jeongin hunched his shoulders, looking away very pointedly.

“Oh? What’s this… seems like Santa was extra generous this year,” Chan said, interrupting the rising din that had started when everybody started to compare their presents, “seems like there’s one more thing for everyone!”

Felix eyed him. “Is Santa’s name Christopher Bang by any chance?”

“No, it’s Santa Claus,” Chan replied, turning his nose up at the accusation. “This is from me to all of you as thanks for being amazing, incredible employees and more that, friends that I would do anything for. This is to commemorate our family here at _God’s Menu_ , and everything we’ve endured to get to this point. We can only get stronger.” He smiled as he placed a small earring box in front of each host, and the last one in front of Jeongin.

Confused but never ones to turn down another present, the motley crew of were-cats carefully opened their boxes one by one and collectively, almost dropped it in surprise. Inside the box was a pair of mismatched earrings: one was a stud with the Host Bar’s logo, and a dangling earring with several strands that spelled out _Stray Kids_ with a staggered charm of stars on each strand.

“I know we joke and I call you guys my kids, but I was thinking one night… we’re strays no one wanted, and we found each other. Somehow, some way, from all different backgrounds and countries and stuff, that… that we all found each other is amazing. No matter where you guys go, I hope that you’ll remember your time here fondly.” A bit shyly, Chan tucked his longish hair behind his ears, showing that he was wearing his own pair. “I asked San for help; he’s got a better aesthetic sense than I, and – AUGH!”

Chan suddenly let out a yowl of surprise as he was tackled by seven other young men, at the bottom of a snuggle-pile that seemed intent on suffocating him with affection. He laughed as he was getting nuzzled and hugged from all possible directions and the impending lack of oxygen was nothing compared to the fact that he could feel the overwhelming gratitude from the other seven were-cats. Finally he couldn’t handle it anymore and shifted to his Black Cat form, squirming out from the tangled mess of arms, and hopping up so he was sitting on Minho’s shoulder. He stayed there until the others noticed that he wasn’t underneath them anymore, and with an amused merp, Chan hopped down onto the floor and shifted back, his magical threads being a basic black t-shirt and black pants.

“Well, if we’re all quite done…” He laughed at their stupefied faces. “Get cleaned up and dressed, we’ll enjoy the snow for a bit and then get this place ready for the party tonight.” While corralling his spirited bunch of Hosts was like literally herding cats, Chan wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.

~ * ~

Seeing Felix’s eyes widen in childlike wonder as they stepped outside _God’s Menu_ , Chan couldn’t help himself and took a photo with his smartphone of the Lynx. Several photos perhaps, but who was going to know? The others were running about the front area of the Bar, pelting each other with snowballs or attempting to roll up snowmen versions of themselves. Chan smiled as he watched them enjoy themselves without worry, but always found his gaze flitting back to Felix.

The blond young man was utterly in love with the fluffy white snow that was falling all around him and Chan watched as Felix crouched down to poke at the snow, alternating between trying to lick and toss it back up in the air to watch it fall again. He’d call to Chan, showing him how it’d crunch under his feet, and how easily he could pelt and hit Changbin despite the Bobtail being a moving target.

The sun was shining brightly this Christmas day, but nothing shone brighter than Felix’s smile.

As he stood watching the others frolic about in the snow, Chan’s smile faded from his lips and the light dimmed in his dual-coloured eyes as a sudden wave of worry washed over him: he hadn’t told Felix about their earrings. Despite everything, even with Felix’s obvious returning of his feelings, they hadn’t had a chance to talk, or think past the next day when it came to each other.

What would the future hold for them?

Would… Felix grow tired of him? The world was opening up for him, and he was barely 20; there was still so much for him to experience. He was financially stable and saving aggressively; there was no longer that fear of being afraid of being able to eat or keep a roof over his head. That they were ‘soulmates’ didn’t meant that they had to stay attached at the hip; he wanted Felix to live his life and not feel anchored or obligated to stay with Chan. Or was it already too late for that? They were financially tied together with _God’s Menu_ , and even though they were equal partners in terms owning the Bar, Chan was the Boss and the oldest out of all of them. That had an added layer of complication and Chan put a hand to his head, feeling his thoughts spiral out.

Suddenly, something cold, wet and hard slapped against the back of his neck, snapping him out of his downward spiral. The loud cacophony of yelling and screaming had gone quiet, and all Chan could hear was an “oh shit,” that definitely came from Jisung. “Uh, are you okay, hyung? I thought you were gonna duck.”

Slowly, almost mechanically, Chan brushed the snow off his neck and out of his hoodie. He crouched down and gathered up a handful of snow in one hand, shaping it into a perfectly round ball. Chan knew that all the eyes were on him, most of them concerned that he hadn’t said a word despite being pelted dead on by a snowball. A mischevious smirk curled his lips as he rose to his full height and turned, throwing the snowball directly at Jisung, who screeched in betrayal at there being consequences to his actions. “Gotcha!”

Jisung wailed as he pretended he’d gotten shot, falling over backwards into the snow, clutching his chest. “Slain by my own leader! What did I do to deserve this?”

“Ah yes, the consequences of your own actions,” Minho commented, cheekily and lightly kicking some snow up and onto Jisung’s face. The younger were-cat sputtered and jumped up, frantically swiping the snow off his face and clothes.

Chan laughed, shaking his head. “Get back inside before you catch a cold. I’m not going to be babysitting a bunch of sick cats.”

“No hard feelings about the snowball, right, hyung?” Jisung asked, biting his lip.

“No, no hard feelings.”

“Oh thank God –”

“But you’re on cleanup duty after the party.”

“H-Hyung!”

~ * ~

Wherever his ‘kids’ had found this much excess Christmas and Happy Birthday decorations, Chan did not want to know and would not hear any stories from Hyunjin or Jisung or Minho about where it all came from. He wanted plausible deniability. But what he couldn’t deny was that the main floor of the Bar looked like some kind of classy winter wonderland with a nice dash of chaotic whimsy that was their brand. Everyone had dressed in a dressed down version of their usual host clothes, with Jeongin borrowing one of Hyunjin’s less flashy suits.

Chan had worked out a special delivery with one of their favourite restaurants, and it had taken a full use of his authority to make sure no one trampled anybody else to get to the food. Once it was all laid out, he wondered how long it would take them to realize that he had ordered enough food for nine people. So far, the surprise he had waiting for them was still in play. Instead, focus had shifted to teasing Jeongin about the present they’d collectively gotten him.

“Quit it!” Jeongin exclaimed, exasperated. “I won’t be able to guess what is with these garbage hints!”

Jisung rolled his eyes. “You’re not thinking hard enough!”

“Maybe you should think harder about your hints!” Jeongin retorted, folding his arms.

Changbin snickered. “What’s not clear about ‘you can use it’? Jisungie pretty much gave it away with that.”

“It could literally be anything,” Jeongin explained, his voice pained. “What kind of present would _everyone_ get me, anyway? I already said that you didn’t need to do anything for my birthday. This morning was already way more than enough—”

The double doors to _God’s Menu_ suddenly opened, the heavy sound pulling everyone’s attention away from the horrid game of ‘guess what’ between Jisung and Jeongin. Standing in between the two opened doors was Choi San, lightly sprinkled with snow that stood out against his all-black outfit, his cheeks and lips pink from the cold. “Me!” he exclaimed, throwing his hands out. “I’m the best Christmas present!”

Jeongin turned and tilted his head in confusion, the confusion intensifying when the other six members of _God’s Menu_ let out varying levels of exclamations, rushing to the front of the Bar where they surrounded the other Black Cat. “Who’s that?”

Chan smiled. “That’s San; he’s another Black Cat and the first Host I hired here. He moved on to another gig a couple of weeks ago, but I thought it’d be nice if we all got together for Christmas and your birthday party. It’d be good for you to meet him; his specialty is casting hexes.”

“Oh! Like Jiyong-ssi?” Jeongin asked, his interest piqued. He looked over at San, who was being mobbed by the other hosts, particularly Felix, Hyunjin and Jisung.

“Right, like him,” Chan confirmed. “Black Cats have a specialty type of Black Magic and sometimes smaller sub specialties. Like for myself, my Black Magic can influence other’s emotions, get accurate reads on them, and if I have them dead to rights, I can read their thoughts. I can take what someone is feeling and transfer it to others. If you heard Felix tell the story of how we got Hyunjin out of his apartment, that’s what my Magic can do.”

Jeongin nodded slowly. “Right… Miss. Raven said hers was Illusionary and Telepathic, with a sub specialty in Divination magic. — did you know that she has that entire estate cloaked with a spell? She showed me how it worked. I can’t do something like that, but… it’s… really cool that she’s used her magic to protect everybody at the estate.”

Chan smiled and gave Jeongin’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “It’s what she preaches: using our magic for good, if at all possible. — Yah, Choi San! Get over here!”

Laughing as he broke away from the love fest by the front foyer of the Bar, San walked over and threw his arms out for a tight hug - something that Chan didn’t hesitate to oblige. “Looking good, boss man,” San said, pulling back. He turned to Jeongin and nodded politely. “You must be Jeongin; I’m San.”

Bowing politely, Jeongin nodded. “It’s nice to meet you. Chan-hyung says you’re also a Black Cat?”

“That’s right. I’m a lot cooler than your hyung,” San said with a wink.

Chan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure.” He gently clapped a hand on Jeongin’s shoulder. “Jeongin here is a half Black Cat.”

San blinked before a wide grin broke out across his lips, his silver lip ring shining in the light of the bar. “A half, eh? Haven’t heard of that before. You’re in good hands here, despite it being filled with a bunch of lunatics.”

“Don’t act like you were some beacon of level-headedness when you were here,” Chan pointed out, laughing. “Come on, have a seat; you’re just in time for dinner.”

San clicked his tongue. “I’m always on time for the good stuff.”

Chan resisted the urge to pull San into another hug after feeling the excitement and feeling of relief at ‘being in a safe place’ that was radiating off San, but instead guided everyone to the table and got them seated. He brought out Jeongin’s present from the whole group - a new wardrobe of clothes, shoes, and accessories. It was worth the aggravation of shopping with the others in a short span of time to see the look of gratitude and sheer happiness on Jeongin’s face.

As he looked out at the people in his life that were the most important to him, Chan placed a hand to his chest; he hoped this feeling of contentment would never leave. Maybe this could be something they did _every_ Christmas, even if life took them in different directions. Absently, Chan played with his _God’s Menu_ earring on his left ear, the smile never leaving his lips, not even as they celebrated Jeongin’s birthday and Christmas well into the night.

In the span of what felt like a lifetime and no time at all, Chan had gone from being alone in a shoebox apartment to being surrounded by an eclectic collection of were-cats that had found their safe haven… _with him_. Quietly, Chan reached up and touched his soulmate earring and closed his eyes.

He would do whatever it took to ensure that they were safe. Even if it meant denying himself what fate wanted for him.

~ * ~

_“Are you sure you don’t want to celebrate with the others?”_

_“They wanna wait for Korean New Year. I wanna celebrate, like,_ our _new year, y’know?”_

_“Our…?”_

_“Yeah. Just the two of us. I wanna face the new year with you, Channie.”_

_“Felix… with the new year, if things change, I… don’t be afraid to go for what you want, okay? Even if it takes you away from the Bar, from me.”_

_“Channie, what are you talking about? I’m not leaving you behind.”_

_“Lix, that’s not what I—”_

_“Ah, look! The countdown’s starting! 5…4…3…2…1! Happy New Year, Channie!”_

_“Happy New Year, Felix.”_

Chan lay awake, staring at his ceiling in his silent, dark, and empty bedroom. He could hear the bizarrely melodic snoring coming from the other room, somehow able to pick out who was who just by rhythm and noise level alone. His brain refused to slow down and sleep, seemingly intent on torturing him with replaying New Year’s day over and over with more and more emphasis on his conversation with Felix before the clock struck midnight.

A strange tightness encircled his heart, and he reached up with a tattooed hand, gripping at his loose sleep shirt as a wave of lightheadedness washed over him. It felt like he was being pulled out to sea by a rogue wave, but he was lying completely still, on land. Swallowing tightly, Chan squeezed his eyes shut and rolled over onto his side, curling up into a tight ball. His right ear felt like it was on fire, and he clawed uselessly at it with a pained grimace. His Mark began to throb, the magical glyphs on his body feeling as if they were digging into his soul, struggling to contain the Black Cat’s unstable emotions.

(He’s going to hate me.)

(He’ll say I trapped him.)

(No one’s going to stay here forever, least of all with me. All I do is bring bad luck to people. It hasn’t happened yet, but it will soon. It happened for so long, it’s going to happen soon. I know it. I can feel it. I know…)

Chan gripped the blanket, bunching the weighted fabric in his tattooed hands, white-knuckling it.He struggled to remember how to breathe, a choked gasp for air breaking through the suffocating silence. He pressed his head to his pillow, old, suppressed memories of his childhood in Australia bubbling to the surface and breaking down the protective walls he’d built in his time in Korea.

 _“Actions have consequences, boy. Clean yourself up_. _”_

Rolling onto his back and forcing his dual coloured eyes open with a frantic series of gasps, sweat beading at his temples and neck, sliding down and staining his clothing and the sheets. Suddenly, Chan launched himself out of his bed, and wrenched the door open. He instinctively shifted to his Black Cat form, silently running across the floor and past Jisung, Minho, Felix and Hyunjin until he reached the main floor of the Bar where he shifted back, clad in his magical threads.

He stumbled to the back door, opening it with a grunt and breathing in the crisp February air. The moisture in the air gave it a bite, and Chan could feel his throat burn and dry out. His sweat began to freeze, the painful pull of the ice on his skin feeling like the punishment he deserved. Anxiously, Chan ran his trembling hands through his hair, one hand trailing down to rest around his neck. He gave his own neck a painful squeeze, as if trying to will his vocal chords to work.

“…Hyung, are you okay?”

Whirling around to see Changbin, Chan’s eyes widened and he took a long moment to try and figure out how long he’d been standing there. “Bad dream,” he lamely explained after a while.

Changbin pulled his hoodie’s hood up and walked over, arms folded tightly to his chest. “I know a panic attack when I see one. C’mon, let’s go inside and talk.” Without waiting for Chan to respond, Changbin reached out and took his hand, making sure his bare hand caught Chan’s, and gave it a squeeze before tugging him inside. The Bobtail slammed the back door shut and flicked the lock shut, gently pulling Chan towards one of the host booths. “Hyung, look at me.”

“I-I’m fine,” Chan choked out.

“Hell you are. Come on, look at me.” Changbin kept repeating himself until Chan finally caught his gaze. “Good. Breathe in, breathe out. Match my breathing, okay? Good, like that. In, out, in… out… okay. You had a panic attack. But it’s okay. _You’re_ okay. Squeeze my hands.”

Slowly, awkwardly, Chan struggled to process the instructions, but as the haze in his mind cleared and his breathing came back to its normal rhythm, Chan squeezed Changbin’s hands as instructed. “I…I wasn’t… I don’t know what…”

“They can just happen,” Changbin quietly explained, squeezing Chan’s hands back. “Doesn’t need a trigger half the time. — keep breathing with me. Yeah, that’s it. Talk to me, hyung. What are you thinking about?”

Chan shook his head, looking down at their hands - Changbin still hadn’t let go of him - and frowned. “It’s about Felix.”

“Huh? You two okay?” Changbin asked, tilting his head.

The Black Cat shook his head again. “We’re fine. Great, honestly. But I’m … I’m afraid of… I don’t want to hold him back.”

Changbin stared at him. “The fuck? How could you hold him back? If he wanted to go to the Moon I’m sure you’d find a way to get him there.”

“That’s the thing, I … since we… since I got this bar, we’ve been tied together. I don’t… now that… now that he’s got a stable job, he doesn’t need to just … think just on the bar. You know? Keep himself … trapped here. I want… I don’t want him to think … or to feel like he _has_ to stay. That he can … that he can go elsewhere and it’d be fine. You know?” Chan felt himself going in circles, speaking whatever errant, terrified thought that came into his head. But he couldn’t stop himself, the dam had opened.

The Rapper fell silent, letting Chan talk himself out. After a moment, he looked up at the Black Cat, and pinched his side. “Do you hear yourself? What makes you think that Felix would ever trap himself? Guy’s smart. And head over heels for you. You two started this thing and he wants to be with you. No matter what happens. That’s where he wants to be.”

Chan frowned at him. “What if he regrets it? We’re already tied to the bar, but if he misses out on something because—”

“—because you’d be there with him? You can experience it together,” Changbin pointed out. “And if there’s something he wants to do, knowing you’re there with him, waiting for him to come back will only help.”

“…do you think so?”

“I know so. And I know you know so too.”

Chan didn’t think he knew anything.

~ * ~

Ordinarily, Chan would be overwhelmed with the idea that _God’s Menu_ was opening up the restaurant portion of the Bar finally, but he was at his wit’s end with his thoughts being consumed by anxiousness and fear, pouring the rest of his energy into overseeing the expansion. With Hyunjin’s help, Chan had figured out a rotational schedule so that the hosts that didn’t have appointments could help Jeongin as a waiter. It involved an intense restructuring of their appointments, both in length and type, as well as availability of the hosts.

With the connections he’d made at his time at _Moon_ , Chan was able to hire highly skilled kitchen staff, relieved when they turned out to be well-mannered enough that they were able to get along with the hosts and handle a rush of customers on both ends of the Bar. What he was having trouble with was getting a bartender he could trust with teaching them how to use potion ingredients. That type of knowledge could be very dangerous in the wrong hands, even if they didn’t have the capacity to use Black Magic, and Chan and to be careful.

“Are you all right, Channie?” Felix asked quietly from behind him on the couch. “You’ve been burning the candle at both ends lately… I know you haven’t been sleeping.”

(Because all my dreams show me is a future without you in it, and I don’t know what to do,) Chan thought, but instead he forced a smile. “It’s just been tough to find a bartender I can trust with the knowledge of potion making. There are a lot of… untrustworthy people out there.”

“Is… there someone you _can_ trust to teach?” Felix asked. “Someone who could pinch hit?”

“Maybe,” Chan admitted. He rubbed his neck and sighed, leaning back against the couch as his eyes fluttered shut, his heart simultaneously singing and stabbing itself when he felt Felix press his lips against his temple. “I can’t keep doing it myself, that’s for sure.” He let out a soft groan when he felt Felix’s surprisingly strong hands knead and work at his tense shoulders, his touch heavenly.

“I could give it a try,” Felix offered.

“Mm, you’re already pulling double duty with hosting and being waitstaff,” Chan replied, shaking his head as he exhaled softly. “You’re so popular that your waitlist is a mile long.” He smiled, chuckling when he felt Felix’s embarrassed huff against his forehead.

The doors opened, and an animated conversation was happening between Jeongin and BamBam, who had brought him back from Raven’s estate. BamBam had Jeongin in a headlock, giving him a very spirited noogie, laughing as Jeongin tried his best to squirm out of his grip. “You think I’m just gonna let you sass me like that, ya little shit?” BamBam laughed, delighting in Jeongin’s attempts to get free and his failures to do so.

Chan slowly pulled his head off the back of the couch, blinking owlishly as Felix stifled a laugh. “BamBam-hyung?” he asked tiredly.

Suitably distracted, BamBam released Jeongin (who quickly escaped to go upstairs and get ready for the night’s opening) and came over with a wide grin on his lips, tongue poking at his lip ring. “Yo, Channie! How’s business?”

“Too good, if that’s a thing,” Chan admitted, smiling; BamBam’s energy was infectious and he reminded Chan a lot of Hoseok. “I might have painted myself into a corner with how our specialty drinks work.”

BamBam raised an eyebrow as he plopped down beside Chan, giving Felix a fist bump that the Lynx happily returned. “Ah, yeah. Because you use potion ingredients in them, yeah?”

“Exactly,” Chan confirmed, nodding. “Can’t in good conscience teach that to just anybody off the street; I have to be able to trust them. Not just from a corporate secret standpoint, but from a moral standpoint… that’s what we learned at Miss. Raven’s estate. I can’t just teach that to anybody.” He laughed a little. “Too bad you weren’t looking for a job; you’d be perfect.” Where Chan’s sub-specialty was Potions, it was BamBam’s expertise alongside auditory based magic.

The older Black Cat blinked. “Yeah, I’m looking for work.”

“—What?” Chan sat up straight. “You are, really?”

“Yeah, the place I was working at went out of business over Christmas so I’ve been volunteering to babysit at Miss. Raven’s,” BamBam explained, rubbing his neck. “If you’ve got an opening, I’m more than open to interviewing, my man.”

Chan fell silent for a moment and after sharing a look with Felix, nodded and pushed himself to his feet. “Let’s give it a shot,” he said. “I’ll show you how they’re made, and we’ll get the others to taste-test them; they know our specialty drinks backwards and forwards. Felix, can you—?”

Felix was already up and nodding. “I’ll go get them!”

“Remember, Jeongin can’t have any! Don’t let him bully you,” Chan called as Felix headed off to corral the others.

BamBam cackled. “That kid has a _backbone_ , let me tell ya. Not afraid to say shit to his hyungs and it’s so goddamn hard not to crack at some of the shit he says.”

Chan laughed as he brought BamBam over to the bar. “Tell me about it. I have to make sure not to leave him and Minho alone together otherwise they’ll conspire and stage a coup on the others.It’s hard enough as it is to keep order around here. — all right, here’s how it works.”

It was smoother sailing than he thought to explain the process and drink recipes to BamBam, mainly due to the fact that BamBam was a talented potions master. He picked up each one of the recipes easily, recreating them flawlessly and quickly to boot, impressing the eager taste-testers that lined up at the bar like a pack of racoons. They took great joy in pretending to be discerning bar patrons of varying personalities, doing their best to test BamBam’s flappability. Chan was impressed to see that not only did BamBam handle them effortlessly, he was incredible at building rapport and keeping the line orders moving.

Chan rubbed his neck after the successful experiment. “I think that more than answers if you’re ready to handle our customers,” he said. “There’s a job for you here if you want it, hyung.”

“Skrrt, skrrt!” BamBam exclaimed, bumping fists with him excitedly. “You can count on me.”

“I hope you’re ready, tonight’s going to be busy,” Chan said with a laugh. “Come on, I’ll run through the thoroughly exciting paperwork that’s involved with working here and fill you in on how pay works.”

“Let’s get it!”

BamBam, as it turned out in the following weeks, was exactly the missing piece _God’s Menu_ needed with its new setup. Dashingly handsome and mischievous, he fit in perfectly with the Host Bar set up, even bringing in new styles of potion-influenced drinks that were only available on certain days at certain hours. The exclusivity of this was extremely popular, bringing in a sharp rise in new repeat customers as the desire not to miss out on a rare drink was becoming extremely strong - like the hype around a new sneaker release.

After closing up one night in late February and ensuring that all the end-of-night administrative work was taken care of, Chan was surprised to see that everyone was crowded around the main table where they’d have breakfast in the mornings. There was a slew of real estate newspapers, and an old beaten up laptop in the centre, plugged in and displaying apartment listings.

“What’s going on here, kids?” Chan asked, taking an empty seat at the end of the table.

Minho turned the laptop around to show him the Google Maps screen where they were calculating the distance between several addresses to _God’s Menu_. “We’re looking at apartments and figuring out who wants to room with who. With how successful the Bar’s gotten, we’ve been able to actually save money for once in our lives.”

Chan blinked and nodded. “That makes sense. As nice as it is to have everyone here, it’s not exactly the best living situation for eight people, not without extensive renovations and even then, it’s not fair to assume you’d all stay here.”

“Exactly,” Jisung agreed, resting his chin on his palm. “Problem is this area’s pretty expensive so we’re trying to figure out to triple or double up.”

Seungmin turned the pad of paper around to show Chan, his handwriting neat and concise. “This is how far we’ve gotten: rent, what we make, how much it would cost between two people for this apartment, and three for this one…”

Doing the math quickly in his head, Chan tilted his head. “But that still leaves two of you out.”

“I don’t want to move into an apartment,” Jeongin answered, rubbing his arm. “Nothing against everyone else, but … I like it here.”

Hyunjin also shook his head. “I don’t want to either. I’m not… there, yet, even with roommates, I don’t know if I could live in an apartment again for a while.”

Nodding sympathetically, Chan gave them a warm smile. “You two are always welcome to stay here as long as you’d like.” He looked down at the names and tilted his head. “What about you, Felix? Your name’s over here in the undecided on both fronts column.”

“I was gonna ask Felix to move in with me,” Changbin said, looking at Chan with a pointed stare. “This two bedroom’s fairly roomy and the closest to the Bar. With what he’s been saving, we can live pretty comfortably there. He wanted to see what you’d say.”

“What… I’d say?” Chan asked, his voice soft.

Felix nodded, green eyes clouded as he stared down at his hands. “Yeah, I mean… it’s been just the two of us for the longest time, and with all of this, and that I own part of the Bar too, I wanted to see what you’d say about me moving in with Changbinnie-hyung.”

A fission of cold ran up Chan’s spine, and inadvertently, he dug his nails into his forearms as he sat ramrod still. It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dunked over his head, and he’d been pulled above and below the surface by a rope attached to a speeding boat. Anxiousness bubbled up inside him, his soulmate earring feeling as if it’d caught on fire. “I think…” He trailed off, trying to choose his words - at all, not just carefully; his brain had decided this was the best time to flatline - and swallowed thickly. “I think it’s a good idea.”

“…you do?” Felix asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Chan confirmed, smoothing out the tremor in his voice by sheer voice of will. “It’s good life experience, you know? Live on your own for a bit, see how it’s like outside of the Bar, away from the usual business. I think… I think it’s a good idea. I know I … I really learned a lot about myself when I lived on my own.”

Felix was silent for a long moment, his bright green eyes holding Chan’s for a long moment. The Black Cat’s throat tightened; he couldn’t figure out what that look was in Felix’s eyes and he couldn’t bear to try and delve into his emotions or thoughts - he’d never forgive himself for breaching that level of trust.

More than that, he was scared to. Afraid to see what he’d find there.

“Looks like it’s a lock, then, Binnie-hyung,” Felix said lowly, clearing his throat. “Chan-hyung’s signed off on it, I guess.”

“Looks like it,” Changbin said, his expression completely unimpressed as his brows furrowed together in annoyance. “I’ll call the place and tell ‘em we’ll take it. Landlord seemed to be pretty eager to get someone in there so I better do it now.” He looked over at the others. “What about you guys?”

Seungmin nodded. “Jisung-hyung, Minho-hyung and I will take the three person one, then.”

“You sure you’re going to be okay living with these two?” Hyunjin asked, jerking his thumb to the two young were-cats.

“There’s one bedroom on the other end of the apartment, and I’m going to dip into my savings to get noise cancelling headphones,” Seungmin said plainly, ignoring Jisung’s yell of indignation. “It’ll be an investment.”

Chan couldn’t recall what happened after that; it felt like a whirlwind of activity as the hosts dispersed to call apartment landlords, arranging for moving vans, and getting ready to turn in for the night. All he could think about was how _stupid_ he was; why didn’t he just say he wanted Felix to stay? Changbin even _told_ him how much Felix wanted it but when it came down to it, Chan was scared. Scared to make that leap, to show that faith in going after what he wanted, what he so desperately wanted. What… he felt he didn’t deserve.

With a shaky sigh, Chan put his head in his hands, tattooed fingers digging into his scalp as his vision began to swim, blurred by fresh, hot tears. The residual hurt and betrayal that came from Felix still hung in the air, wrapped tightly around Chan’s aching heart.

He heard someone sit down beside him, and the rustling of fabric as arms folded tightly. “You’re an idiot,” Minho said flatly. “You had your chance on a silver platter and you fucked it.”

“I know,” Chan whispered.

He’d been so afraid of burdening Felix, being the reason that he couldn’t live his life unchained, that he instead _was_ the cause of his soulmate’s pain in what was a cruel, self-fulfilling prophecy.

He’d done this to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chan.
> 
> Chan pls.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> February is supposed to be the month of love, but all Bang Chan's heart wants to do is tear itself apart from the guilt of hurting his soulmate. 
> 
> Chan realizes that in order to fix things, he has to look deep within himself and allow his own heart to love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all remember that eventual smut tag?
> 
> ;)

February was a strange month.

If one believed capitalism, February was the month of love, punctuated by Valentine’s Day on the 14th. The stores were a swath of pinks, reds and whites, littered with hearts and cupids, loud declarations of love and the music seemed to talk about only the highs of love. But as Chan walked down the street from the subway station towards _Map of the Seoul_ , he could only think about the dark sides that no one seemed to talk about.

Where were the songs about loving someone so much that you self destruct to try and keep them safe, only to inflict pain on both of you with the emotional shrapnel? Or the songs about how one’s heart only seemed to know one speed and that was replay the things they liked about their love? Felix’s laugh replayed on a loop in his head, accompanied permanently by his soft exclamations about snow, the way he elongated ‘no’ when he was really excited… the way his sparkling green eyes would show exactly what he was feeling, the way his eyes would crinkle and his nose would too when he was laughing so hard he could cry.

Now he was crying, and it was all Chan’s fault.

One of the worst things he found out about having an expertise in emotion-based Black Magic was that he felt everyone’s emotions tenfold. He was as close to Felix as anybody could have been, their soulmate bond as strong on the first day they met than when they finally kissed. A swirling maelstrom of pain, betrayal, hurt and listlessness socked Chan in the gut every time he took a breath. His soulmate earring burned, longing for Felix’s presence, for his love to blanket him and save him from himself.

Black Cats were thought to curse those they were around, and Chan never felt more like he was the embodiment of that now. He’d taken his mother from his father by being born, he’d ruined his father’s way of life by existing, he’d set the town into a tailspin because everyone was terrified of crossing his path. And now… he’d brought that same misfortune to Felix, whose only crime was trusting a stray Black Cat named Bang Chan.

The chilly air bit at his cheeks, cutting white lines along his tanned skin, and a part of Chan wondered if he could just rip the soulmate earring off his right ear and fling it into the sun. Maybe he could free Felix from this burden, disappear off the face of the earth before he hurt the others, too. They put so much of their trust and faith in Chan, and he didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve their warm smiles, or their hugs, or their quiet confessions of being so scared of living on the street before they found _God’s Menu_. He was a sham, he wanted to scream at them, they should get as far away as possible, only coming near him when they had to for work. It was clear; if he could hurt Felix, the most precious person to him in the world, who else could he hurt just by breathing?

Quietly, Chan opened the door to the tattoo shop and a faint smile came to his lips when he saw Yoongi speaking with a tall man with pale blond hair and honeyed toned skin. The taller man’s dimples were on full display as he talked about something animatedly with Yoongi - it sounded to be about music composition. His hands were waving animatedly, and Yoongi was listening with a sleepy smile, but his eyes were shining with excitement.

“I’m telling you, this Hongjoong kid is really sharp,” the blond man was saying, laughing. “I played him this beat I was stuck on and he just tilted his head like a puppy and said ‘hyung, if you slow the beat down by 0.75x and pitch up the snares, that’ll do what you said’. He just said it, like I hadn’t been stuck on this beat for six weeks.”

Yoongi chuckled, running a hand through his mulberry red hair. “Sounds like we should keep him in the back pocket for the next time we’re stuck, Namjoon-ah. How’s his chops?”

Namjoon grinned. “He’s got this flow that feels like … you know how Jack Sparrow could convince a man to sell his soul for a bauble? That’s what it feels like. Like he’d convince you to go on this mad voyage out to sea with nothing but a hope and a ship and you’d think it was the best idea ever.”

“Sounds like you really think this kid’s got it,” Yoongi said with a laugh. He finally looked over, catching sight of Chan’s lingering, black-cloaked figure in the doorway. “Yah, Chan-ah. Here to see Hobi?”

Chan nodded, forcing a smile. “Today’s thigh tattoo day; not really looking forward to it.” He bowed respectfully to Namjoon. “I’m Bang Chan, Hoseok-hyung and I are old friends.”

“He’s a Black Cat like Hobi,” Yoongi explained, jerking his thumb to Chan. “They were students together learnin’ all that bubble, bubble, toil and trouble shit. Chan, this is Kim Namjoon; he’s my partner at the photography studio. He’s a Jaguar were-cat.”

“Ah, really? That’s really cool,” Chan said, smiling as he bowed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Namjoon laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Bang Chan. Yoongi-hyung’s mentioned the photos he did for your Host Bar at a haunted mansion? That’s quite the locale to pick.”

Chan found himself laughing despite the ache in his chest. “I really wanted something cool for our temp location while the Bar was undergoing renovations/repairs. — oh, Yoongi-hyung. The Restaurant portion of _God’s Menu_ is open, so anytime you and Hoseok-hyung want to come for dinner, let me know and we’ll get you in. It’s the least I can do for everything you two have done for us.”

Yoongi blinked and pushed himself off the counter. “Yeah? That’s pretty good timing. Our 1 year anniversary is coming up and I’d been wracking my brain figuring out what he’d want to do. Can’t think of anything better than going to his dongsaeng’s popular as fuck restaurant and bar.”

“Let me know the date and you’ve got it,” Chan said with a nod.

“March 13th,” Yoongi answered quickly, and Namjoon put a hand over his mouth at how excitable the older man had gotten. “I’m tied up until 6, so 7 would be best.” He flicked through his smartphone’s calendar app, sucking his teeth.

Chan paused and pulled out his own phone, checking the scheduler for the Bar. “Yeah, we can make that work, for sure! Let me just enter you in here and update it to the main app…” his tattooed fingers worked quick as he entered in the reservation and time. “Done and done!”

Yoongi breathed a sigh of relief and pulled Chan into a tight hug. “You’re a literal angel,” he said earnestly.

A bright blush coloured Chan’s face and he shook his head. “No, anything but.” A part of him wanted to explain to Yoongi that an angel wouldn’t hurt a soul as sweet and loving as Felix, but he mercifully stopped himself.

“What’s going on? Are you stealing Yoongi-hyung away from me?” Hoseok asked with a laugh as he emerged from the back of the parlour, raking a hand through his black, sharply cut hair. Hoseok was always dressed fashionably but he seemed to be leaning heavily into more eclectic palettes as of late, using black as a thematic separator than a base colour.

Chan looked scandalized as Yoongi smirked and held onto the younger man even tighter than he had been previously. “No!”

Hoseok looked at him seriously before bursting out into a peal of laughter, slapping his leg. “I know you wouldn’t! You couldn’t hurt someone even if a gun was pointed to your head!”

“I don’t know about that,” Chan muttered. “I seem to have done a bang up job recently.”

While he wasn’t sure if anybody had heard him, it seemed that Hoseok had, and his expression shifted briefly before he took Chan’s hand and extricated him from Yoongi’s hold. “Hey, I wanted to show you something about the designs. Let’s go back here and go over ‘em. We’ll let Yoonie and Namjoonie bore each other to death with their music talk.” The elder Black Cat didn't wait for Chan’s response, instead squeezing his hand and leading him to the back of the tattoo parlour where Hoseok’s station was located. “What happened, Channie?” he asked quietly. “Don’t even try and lie to me; I might not be as good at you are at reading emotions but a blind bat in a hurricane can feel that you’re in pain.”

Hoseok’s slender tattooed fingers scratched at the top of Chan’s nape, nails lightly grazing against the short hairs there. Much like what happened with Jeongin, Chan’s shoddily made walls that he had been haphazardly erecting since he came to Seoul as a ten year old child came crumbling down.

“I hurt my soulmate,” Chan whispered brokenly, burying his face against Hoseok’s tattooed neck, his tears imprinting themselves on the Black Cat’s tattoo of a film reel’s ribbon. “I hurt him and all I can feel is how much pain he’s in. Hyung, I’m … I’m the worst. I don’t… I knew I’d hurt him someday, it’s all I’m good at. I can’t, I _can’t_ …”

There was an almost imperceptible pause as Hoseok briefly stiffened, but it was gone in the next instant, and Hoseok’s arms came around him in a tight hug. “You’re going in circles. C’mon, tell me. What happened?”

Chan swallowed, his throat feeling like it was about to swell shut. “The others, most of them are … they’ve mostly all moved out onto off-site apartments, and … Felix, he … he was going to move in with Changbin, but he … wanted me … He wanted me to say I wanted him to stay, and I did, hyung, I really did, but … I didn’t… I’m afraid. What if he misses out on something because he’s stuck with me? I ruined lives just by being around them… I couldn’t… d-do that to Felix, but _I did it anyway_.” Chan shook his head, hoarse sobs choking out of his throat, his eyes squeezed shut as hot tears slid down his cheeks, his nails digging into Hoseok’s _BIG BANG_ t-shirt. “I didn’t want him to resent me … that he missed out on living his life because he felt he h-had to stay with me. — he’s in so much pain, hyung. _I did that to him!_ ”

Hoseok was silent for a long moment, just holding Chan lose as he poured his heart out in the back of a tattoo parlour, with Namjoon and Yoongi mere feet away. One hand rose up to resume gently scratching at Chan’s nape, the calming nature of the gesture initially doing little to help but eventually, the tears ceased to fall and left Chan with a cold numbness. “So Felix wanted you to say that you wanted him to stay, but you said it’d be better for him to live on his own for a bit, away from you?” Hoseok asked carefully.

“I said it was a good idea,” Chan explained, his voice rough and hewn with pain. “That it was good he l-live on his own for a bit, live outside the bar and … w-with someone else, I said that it was good to figure out … w-who he was outside of … all of this.” He shook his head, distraught. “He’s so hurt, hyung. All I can feel is his pain, pain that _I caused_.”

“—Hey, hey,” Hoseok lectured gently, giving Chan a tight squeeze. “You’re not totally in the wrong here, Channie. It _is_ good for Felix to live out there on his own and see what it’s like, but… yeah, you probably should’ve said that you’d be there with him. I think… that’s what he’s hurt about.”

Chan’s brows furrowed. “What?” In the back of his pain-addled mind, he could vaguely recall Changbin saying something similar.

Hoseok carefully pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped Chan’s puffy eyes, smiling gently. “Your heart was in the right place but your execution missed a few steps. I think what Felix was really looking for was for you to say that no matter what, you’d be with him. It might feel like… you were saying you wanted to put space between the two of you.”

A look of abject horror came across Chan’s face and he shook his head wildly. “No, not at all! I… I didn’t want to be a _burden_ to him, like I was trapping him. That… he would miss out on life because his soulmate was a bad luck Black Cat.”

“Channie, I love you, but you can be thick as shit,” Hoseok sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips as he lightly clapped his hands against the younger Black Cat’s cheeks. “You spent so much time worrying about everyone else’s feelings that you forgot to take care of _your own_. There’s no way you’re going to be able to fix this between you and Felix if you don’t sort out your own feelings first. You’ve… there’s a lot you’ve buried, Channie. There’s a lot you pushed down and away so you could take care of others, so you could survive. Now… now you gotta work through your feelings, confront your painful past.” He gently brushed Chan’s hair away from his eyes. “What you went through was traumatic, Channie. You deserve every bit of time and space to figure yourself out.”

Chan fell silent, the uncomfortable truth sitting low in his stomach before launching itself up to latch onto the thick chains he’d thrown around his heart in penance. “Where… do I start?” He asked quietly. “Do I … see someone?”

“You can,” Hoseok said with a slight nod. “Yoongi sees a therapist and he’s really unapologetic about it. He’d just look at me and say ‘Hob-ah, talking to them makes me feel like I’m not nuts, that I’m worth saving. Ain’t no price on that.’ Might not be for you, but… if it’s too scary to think about that at first, maybe write your thoughts down? Putting them on paper might help.”

“Write them… down?” Chan whispered, his brows knitting together as his mind struggled to piece together this advice with information that was poking at him from all sides. Carefully, he pulled away from Hoseok and wiped his eyes roughly with the back of his sleeve. He bent over and pulled at his messenger bag, pulling out Changbin’s Christmas present and gripping it tightly in his hands. “Maybe… this is how.”

Hoseok tilted his head. “What’s that?”

Chan swallowed. “Changbin, one of the hosts at the bar, he… gave this to me for Christmas. It’s like a music composer’s bible, how to mix, what music theory is, how beat composition works, the whole thing. He got a huge notebook and said… that I could use the blank pages to write my own music. — He and Jisung have been teaching me about it…”

“Hey, that’s perfect!” Hoseok said brightly, poking his cheek. “Write about this in your songs! In order to write lyrics and the melodies, you’ll like, distill what the essence is of what you’re going through and stuff. Musicians always talk about how their music helped them process and work through traumatic shit.”

“This does qualify as traumatic shit,” Chan mumbled in agreement, his tattooed fingers lightly running along the leather cover of the locked musical journal. “Okay. I’m … I’m gonna do that. I’m … gonna… do it.”

Hoseok ruffled Chan’s hair affectionately. “I believe in you, Channie. You gotta talk to Felix, that much has to happen. You can’t decide on your own what the two of you are gonna do. He’s gotta know; it’s the two of you vs the world.”

Chan nodded slowly, his hands white-knuckling the notebook. “I know,” he said hoarsely. “I know. He deserves to know. — But hyung, did you… did you ever tell Yoongi-hyung?”

“Yeah, I did,” Hoseok admitted, rubbing his neck. “Shortly after you texted me about getting his contact info, I realized that I was being stupid. Yoongi-hyung is a skeptic, but he’s also really open-minded about me being a Black Cat and all the weird hang-ups that come with it. Do you know what he said to me about Black Cats being bad luck?”

“…what?”

Hoseok grinned. “He said that he makes his own luck.”

Chan’s eyes widened; it felt like a switch had been flipped and he looked down at the notebook, gripping it tightly before suddenly putting it back into his messenger bag. “Let’s do this, hyung.”

“Huh? You serious?” Hoseok blinked back at him. “You sure you’re in the right headspace for this?”

Chan nodded. “I am. These sessions… they help me put things into perspective; the pain is there, but it helped me find some kind of zen? I’m good to do the full plan for today. Promise.”

Hoseok looked at him closely before nodding. “All right. Let’s start with the right thigh. I think it’ll take the whole time so we’ll book another appointment for the left one.”

“Let’s do it.” Chan got up and went to the bathroom, toeing off his boots and taking off his pants, wearing a pair of shorts underneath. He plucked up his boots after folding his sweats, coming back out and setting them aside, getting comfortable on the tattoo chair. “Okay, ready.”

“Wow, these are thick,” Hoseok commented, reaching down and squeezing Chan’s thigh. “Do you have a home gym there too?”

“Q-Quit it!” Chan exclaimed, embarrassed.

“Jeez, fine.” Hoseok gave him a cheeky smile and got his equipment set up. He transferred the purple lined stencil onto Chan’s right thigh, pleased with how it looked. “Take one final look. Still like it enough to have it permanently applied to your dermis?”

Chan quietly ran his fingers along the damp purple lines that coated his thigh down to his knee. It was a deeply gothic take on Jack Skellington, in a tattered Santa Claus outfit with his usual striped suit peeking out underneath the scraps of red fabric. Mottled wings stripped almost to the bone spread out from his back, the words ‘what the heck, I went and did my best’ set in the middle of the two wing tips. “Yeah, I love it. You knocked it out of the park again, hyung.”

Hoseok grinned. “Flattery will get you everywhere.” He pulled up his mask and his black latex gloves, starting up the needle. “Alright, here we go. Deep breaths.”

Though he’d now become no stranger to tattoos, it was still a jolt every time the needle touched his skin for the first time. Chan realized it must have been the high of the adrenaline and the endorphins from the pain; that was probably why he loved getting them, why he took the sessions as some sort of existential therapy for what he’d been avoiding. He kept himself still as a rod, closing his eyes and resting his head back against the headrest of the chair, the steady whirring of Hoseok’s tattoo needle strangely hypnotic and calming.

_“As much as fate will give us a soulmate, it is up to us to find them, to make it work.”_

_“Like I said, it’s up to you and them to work it out. Fate only puts you together, everything else in our hands.”_

_“Sometimes I wonder if it’s better if I tell people or if I should keep it to myself. But, they should know in the end.”_

_“And if there’s something he wants to do, knowing you’re there with him, waiting for him to come back will only help.”_

It was several hours later when Chan opened his eyes, feeling the rhythmic sting of the needle against his skin stop. Sleepily, Chan shifted and rubbed his face and eyes, smiling when the tattoo came into focus. The skin of his thigh was beginning to flush red, but Hoseok’s artwork was as beautiful as ever - no, he’d gotten even better in the months since Chan had started coming to see him. “This looks amazing, hyung, you really outdid yourself,” he said reverently, watching as Hoseok wiped him down, taking a couple of photos before wrapping it up protectively.

“I have a really good canvas,” Hoseok replied with a laugh. “How do you feel?”

“About the tattoo? Good. About everything else? Work in progress.”

“Sounds about right. Take care of yourself, Channie.” Hoseok smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder as the younger man got up gingerly. “If you’re a dumbass about this, I’m gonna know.”

Chan smiled weakly at him. “I don’t now how I could mess this up further, but… noted, hyung. Thank you.”

“Good. I’ll rat you out to Miss. Raven in an instant.”

“So much for brotherly love.”

“It’s tough love.”

~ * ~

It was obvious as soon as he stepped back into _God’s Menu_ how empty it was without the others running about before their evening shifts. Jeongin was quiet and Hyunjin didn’t get nearly as hyped up if there weren’t other people around. As Chan closed the door behind himself and locked it, he blinked seeing a bunch of boxes sitting in the middle of the bar. Raising an eyebrow, Chan stomped the snow off his boots and wiped them on the mat, walking over and curiously picking up the shipping manifest that was pinned to the foremost box.

“They were delivered while you were out,” Jeongin said from behind him, causing Chan to jump slightly in surprise. “Hyunjin-hyung signed for them and flirted with the delivery guy so he wouldn’t make us pay the delivery fee.”

“Oh, that’s — wait, what?” Chan blinked and looked over his shoulder at the half Black-Cat. “Hyunjin!”

Hyunjin huffed from where he was lounging on the couch, reading a book. “What? All I did was tell him that while I was used to being stared at like that by girls, it was the first time I felt so flustered by a man.”

Chan groaned and put a hand over his face. “You’re just as bad as San, you know that?” Ignoring Hyunjin’s sputter of indignation at being compared to his rival, Chan turned his attention back to the delivery manifest, checking each of the boxes and the serial numbers along the boxes. “Looks like everything’s here. That’s a relief.”

“What is all this, hyung?” Jeongin asked, peering curiously at the boxes, having moved out from behind the eldest.

Chan smiled as he folded the paper, slipping it into the back pocket of his sweatpants. “Decided to finally do something for myself a little while ago. This is all equipment for a music studio; Jisung, Changbin and I did a lot of research into what would be the best bang for the buck. I’m going to turn the upstairs loft into a studio that we can all use.” He looked around. “One of these should be a laptop, that’s going to help a ton with the business admin work… ah, I’ll find it when I unpack everything.”

Jeongin looked up at him from where he was crouched on the floor. “Do you want some help lugging it upstairs?”

“That’d be great. Thanks, Jeongin.” Chan looked over at Hyunjin, who decidedly was _not_ paying attention, instead looking very pointedly at his book. Amused, he shook his head; he knew that the minute he and Jeongin started to move the boxes, Hyunjin’s curiosity and nosiness would be overwhelming and he’d join in eventually. “Alright, let’s get this one first. — Lift with your knees, not your back. Yeah, perfect. One, two… three!”

Jeongin was a lot stronger than he looked, lifting the box easily alongside Chan. “Got it! Let’s go, hyung.” He grunted softly, shifting the box in his grip.

Chan nodded. “Okay, follow me. I’ll need you to keep an eye on what I’m walking into since I’m going backwards, yeah?”

“Got it.”

Exhaling sharply, Chan grunted and pulled, walking backwards up the two flights of stairs to the upstairs loft. Now depressingly empty without three beds and everyone’s accumulated possessions strewn everywhere, Chan tried not to get too distracted by the remnants of Felix that he could still see in the empty space. The Lynx had left a couple of shirts, some accessories, and a couple of books that had been left behind in the move.

As he and Jeongin set the box down over by the longest wall, the pair of Black Cats let out a sigh of relief and wiped their brows. “Okay, that should be the heaviest one but I don’t want to be proven wrong,” Chan said, rubbing his neck. “There’s a long table/desk, and three chairs. Jisung and Changbin will be bringing their equipment here when they get it, and then it’ll take shape. But for right now…” He trailed off, seeing Hyunjin poke his head up from the lower part of the upper staircase.

“Hyung, if you want to help, just do it,” Jeongin sighed, shaking his head.

Hyunjin huffed. “I was just watching.”

Jeongin rolled his eyes as he stared down the stairs, catching Hyunjin’s bracelet encircled wrist and pulling him along. Chan shook his head in amusement and as he opened his eyes again to survey the room and mentally confirm where he wants everything, his gaze falls upon Felix’s green sweater - the same sweater that he had been wearing Christmas morning. A frown creased his lips as he crouched down to pick up the sweater, the material cold and a little stiff in his hands.

Idly, Chan ran his fingers over the fabric, and closed his eyes to try and ground himself. The faint scent of Felix’s cologne was pressed into the green material, and Chan carefully opened his eyes and folded the sweater, setting it off to the side before heading downstairs to join Jeongin and Hyunjin. He came down to the main level of the bar to find Jeongin’s eyes rolling into the back of his head while Hyunjin was protesting too much about _something_.

_“Hyunjin-hyung likes to kick up a fuss, but I think he does it to see if anybody cares about him. To make sure they remember him, you know? Like a middle child when they want the attention.”_

Ah, this was bad. Chan was now beginning to hear Felix when he wasn’t there. It was probably one more step before he was imagining the Lynx were-cat there where he wasn’t. “I hear lugging unnecessarily heavy boxes builds character,” Chan said, pulling himself out of his thoughts and interrupting the budding argument going on in front of him.

“I don’t think Hyunjin-hyung needs _more_ character,” Jeongin said, grinning mischievously.

“Oi!” Hyunjin exclaimed, slapping Jeongin’s arm.

Chan blinked. “I feel like we had this conversation before…” He shook his head and crouched down to pick up one of the larger boxes. “Can one of you grab the other end?”

“—Yeah, I got it. Jeongin, can you grab one of the chair boxes?” Hyunjin asked as he hurried over to squat down and help Chan lift the box. “Man I really should be working out more.”

Chan huffed out a laugh. “Come on, let’s go.”

With only minimal problems, Chan, Hyunjin and Jeongin got everything from the main floor up into the main loft. After assuring them that he would be fine setting everything else up himself and they could go off and do what they wanted, Chan set to work. He was in the midst of connecting his microphone, speakers and headphones to the audio interface on his station when he heard a bunch of excited footsteps bound up the stairs. Considering everyone outside of Minho and Jeongin ran like an obese elephant, Chan was at a loss at guessing who it was.

“Hyung!”

Ah, it was Jisung.

Who was the other one, then? He heard two pairs of footsteps.

“Hyung, why didn’t you wait for us?”

Right, of course it would be Changbin.

“I thought it would be good to get a feel for how it all works by putting it all together. Took a lot less time to put the chairs and desks together, so I made better time than I thought,” Chan explained, returning his attention to sliding in the headphones’ USB connector into the interface. He moved back carefully, and adjusted the pop filter that had gotten nudged by his movement, making sure it stayed nice and firm in front of the microphone. “What do you two think?”

Jisung’s dual coloured eyes were bright as he looked around the area, as if already visualizing how it would look once his own equipment was in there. “You’ve got a nice, solid set up hyung! Looks even better in person,” he said, running his fingers over the mixer. “I can’t wait for my stuff to come in.”

“Should be any day now, right?” Changbin asked, eagerly looking at Chan’s laptop and helping the Black Cat set up his music composition software.

“Yeah!” Jisung confirmed. “Same for you, yeah?”

“Should be about the same day, maybe after next,” Changbin agreed. “I can’t believe we’re going to have our own studio. — Hyung, thank you for letting us use this space too. There a way you can repay you?”

Chan blinked. “You crazy? Of course you can use this space. But, uh … if we’re talking about repayment, there might be something you two can help me with.”

Surprised that the eldest of their group was asking for help, Changbin and Jisung looked at each other before looking back at Chan and nodding slowly. “Yeah, of course. What’s up, hyung?” Jisung asked, walking forward to cut down the distance between the two of them.

“I, um, wow… this is harder to admit than I thought it’d be,” Chan mumbled, sitting down in the newly assembled chair as his freshly tattooed right thigh was beginning to throb. “I… realized … recently, that there’s a lot… I haven’t… I’ve never looked … I’ve never worked out my own issues, y’know? I think there’s… a lot of things I need to work on… why I keep sabotaging myself. I’ve messed up a lot because of it. With Felix. With you guys, probably. And I wanna work on that. Work through it. Through music. But I’d need help. Will you… will you two help me?”

The silence was almost stretched too long, and Chan was beginning to feel the panic rising in his chest, wondering if he went too far somehow. He could feel the awkwardness in the club when everyone was together from what happened between him and Felix, and there had clearly been sides chosen though no one spoke about it aloud.

“I just want to know something, hyung,” Changbin said, breaking the silence. “Why’d you tell Felix you wanted him out of the Bar?”

Chan frowned and shook his head. “That’s not what I meant, but I realized too late how it sounded. I think…” He ran a hand through his hair, absently thinking that he needed another haircut with how long it was getting. “I think I was self-fulfilling a prophecy that I’d destroy this all somehow… like I did back in Australia.”

Knowing that Chan never talked about himself nor his past, Jisung and Changbin shared another look before pulling their chairs over and sitting down, close enough that their knees were touching Chan’s. “What do you mean?” Jisung prompted gently, leaning forward.

“It sounds like a bad movie plot,” Chan sighed, leaning back. “I was… born on Friday the 13th, and the way the town told it, the hospital my mother was giving birth in was having the worst night they’d had in _years_. Like, losing patients left and right, power outages, machines breaking, the whole gamut. My mom, she… died, after I was born. My dad… he blamed me for her death, and it got worse when they all realized I was a Black Cat. Just… everything was my fault. My dad could barely eat or keep a job, because of me. The town … blamed everything on me. Farmers couldn’t salvage the crops because of a bad harvest? My fault. No tourists? It’s because they know a Black Cat’s there. I was just… the reason everything was shitty. It was one bad thing after another, after another, and all because of me.”

“There’s no fucking way that you’re —” Jisung had to be pulled back to his seat by Changbin.

“Let him finish,” Changbin said quietly.

Chan was staring at the ceiling, almost not hearing them and talking as if he was talking to himself. “They got so upset that I was still alive that my dad was practically paid by the town to ship me off to Korea. I realized later he sold me into that same were-cat trafficking ring that Seungmin and Felix were sold into. I was… ten. My dad didn’t bat an eye when he put his ten year old son on a plane and kicked him off to Seoul, like … he was _relieved_ I was gone. I believed for a long time… I guess, I still do… that this is … my fault. For existing. That you guys, and Felix, and just… everyone I know, you’ll have bad luck if you keep hanging around me. I guess… I made it came true. I didn’t realize how much it still affected me until… until I talked to Hoseok-hyung this morning.”

Changbin frowned and pressed a hand to Chan’s right thigh, hand jumping back when Chan flinched. “Sorry! I, uh… right, your Hoseok-hyung’s a tattoo artist.” He moved his hand to Chan’s left leg, and tried again. “That … thanks for telling us, hyung. Can’t have been easy to say all of that.”

Chan gave a small smile. “I don’t know how much it helped.”

“It’s kind of comforting in a way,” Jisung said, rubbing his neck. “That all of us here have our fair share of fucked up shit that we’re all dealing with. But we’re not alone. You know? You’ve helped us so much that… yeah, hell yeah! Of course Binnie-hyung and I will help you!”

“But you’re gonna talk to Felix, yeah?” Changbin asked, never one to mince words.

Chan nodded. “Yeah, I will. I just… gotta sort myself out first. Or at least, start figuring things out. It’s not fair to Felix or myself if I keep going on like this.” 

Seemingly satisfied, Changbin nodded. “All right. I’m in.”

Chan smiled. “Jisung, Changbin … thank you.”

“Like you said, boss, we’re ride or die,” Jisung said, clapping a hand on Chan’s right thigh and looking stricken at the yelp the older man gave. “Sorry!”

Changbin snorted. “If you’re done physically harming our boss, let’s get to work.”

~ *~ 

Things. Were. Awkward.

Chan had no idea how to act around Felix, and defaulted to being overly civil, which in all honesty probably made things worse. Felix had then taken to avoiding him except when he absolutely couldn’t, responding with clipped words and a flat tone that was almost drowning in formal language. Every time he tried to apologize for what he said, Felix found a way to dip past and leave him hanging, a maelstrom of raw hurt, bitterness and love hitting Chan in the face in his wake, and it was difficult to push forward.

But he had to. Just as Chan had to take the time to sort himself out, so did Felix. It was only fair that he give Felix the space to work through his feelings, wallowing in them if need be.

Any time that wasn’t spent on Bar matters was spent with Jisung and Changbin in their newly furnished studio. Changbin had come up with the idea to make a “theme song” for _God’s Menu_ , something to showcase not only the trio’s musical abilities, but to showcase the Hosts in a video that they would place on their website and on YouTube. It would reach a far greater number of people, as well as allow Jisung, Changbin and Chan to flex their creative muscles.

In between trying to collaborate on the Bar’s theme song, Chan dove head first into writing music and lyrics with the content being his own past. There had been many sleepless and restless nights after he’d poured his soul into his notebook and into his computer’s music software program, and there were plenty of times that he had panic attacks at the idea of anybody other than Jisung and Changbin listening to the raw music he was putting together, of seeing the real him, the mess of a man that he hid behind caring for everyone else.

One night in early March, Chan suddenly let out a choked sob, putting his face in his hands as he played back the finished song he’d tentatively titled _I don’t want to admit_ , structured to be about a lover that lied to him about their love, but was actually about his father. The words that had branded his heart from the man that he had promised Chan’s mother to take care of her son, but couldn’t because he was a Black Cat were finally out there in the song. The hope, the fool’s hope that things would change between them laid bare for everyone to see.

The song made him realize that despite it all, he still hoped that he could see his father again, to have him be proud of him, be thankful that Chan was his son. Deep down, he knew that it was almost guaranteed he would ever see that man again, but even still, Chan was holding onto that hope. The prevailing part him realized that it didn’t even matter if he ever saw his father again, he had the others. He had Jisung, Seungmin, Minho, Changbin, Jeongin, Hyunjin and Felix… they _were_ his family.

He could feel Changbin and Jisung’s arms come around him as the sobs wracked his body, pained wheezes pulling out of his tight lungs, as all the emotion he’d buried came out so beautifully and so stripped down in the track, in his own words, in his own voice. Once finished, the track list auto-played the rough cut of a song about Felix, and Chan crumpled, laying his head down on the table, surrounded by two of his closest friends.

“You’re good, Chan-hyung,” Jisung whispered, fighting back tears himself as he rubbed Chan’s back. “You hear me? You’re amazing and you’re gonna be okay.”

“It’s powerful stuff, right?” Changbin added, smiling through the tears that were welling up in his eyes as well, pressing his face against Chan’s shoulder. “But you’re doing great. Real fucking good, hyung. How do you feel?”

“Good,” Chan whispered, choked up with emotion that was finally starting to flow as it should have, instead of being sealed up in the deepest, darkest parts of his heart. “I think… I think I can… finally see the other side now.”

Changbin grinned and squeezed the Black Cat. “It’s a long road,” he said, swallowing. “But we’re here with you. All of us. Even Felix, even if he’s hurting real bad right now, he’s not going to leave you.”

Looking down at his right hand where Felix’s birthday present lay encircled around his finger, Chan nodded. “Thank you,” he said softly, reaching up slowly to hug the two young men back, the headphones falling off his head and tumbling to the back of his chair.

“Anytime, hyung,” Jisung whispered, nuzzling him. “You pulled us out of the darkness, it’s only right that we help you when you need it, and when you don’t know you need it.” He smiled and squeezed the older man tighter. “Everybody needs a good cry every once in a while. Or in my case, once a day!”

Chan gave Jisung a weak smile and reached up to ruffle his navy/blond hair. “That’s actually pretty sound advice,” he said, his voice still thick and raw with the heavy experience of an emotional breakthrough. Gently, he wiped his eyes with the edge of his sleeve, and inhaled/exhaled deeply.

The sound of something heavy hitting the desk broke them out of their group hug and they were surprised to see Minho, as stoic as ever, his blue eyes glinting in the fluorescent light. Beside him on the desk were three mugs filled with warm hot cocoa and little animal shaped marshmallows. When regarded with their surprised looks, Minho huffed and looked away. “I wanted to see what all the commotion was about. Just… be sure to get yourselves in order before we open.”

Chan smiled. “Thank you, Minho.”

“…Don’t mention it.”

“Come in here on this group hug?”

“I would rather die.”

~ * ~

_“I think it’s a good idea.”_

_“…you do?”_

_“Yeah; it’s good life experience, you know? Live on your own for a bit, see how it’s like outside of the Bar, away from the usual business. I think… I think it’s a good idea. I know I … I really learned a lot about myself when I lived on my own.”_

Felix didn’t know what to think anymore. For the longest time, he felt like it was him and Chan against the world. No matter what happened, no matter where everybody else went, it would always be the two of them together, facing what came their way side-by-side. Ever since he came to Seoul, Chan was the only person that he wanted to be with no matter what. The older man saved him, but more than that, showed him that the world could be beautiful, that he could survive and thrive in it, if only someone believed in him.

He looked at himself in the mirror in the dressing room area of _God’s Menu_ , dressed in a beautifully hand-woven modern hanbok coat and tied off with the embroidered _God’s Menu_ apron, and a pair of close-fitting black slacks. His blond hair was slicked back with some stands plucked loose and framing his slender face. Lightly, Felix dabbed some concealer to his under eye to hide the horrid bags he’d been saddled with due to not sleeping well since he moved out, but left his freckles alone. Instead, he paid more attention to his lips, making them a bit darker but with a nude, terracotta shade of lip tint. He’d pared down the earrings on his ears, leaving only the _Stray Kids_ mismatched pair and the single, broken-heart charm on his left ear.

The one… that always reminded him of Chan.

Gently, Felix’s small fingers touched the blood red charm, turning it slightly to get a better look at it in the mirror. There were a lot of days in the weeks since he’d left _God’s Menu_ and moved in with Changbin that he felt like ripping off the earring and flinging it into the sewer, but he stopped every time by a pang of guilt. As much as he was angry at Chan, there was something that pulled at his heart; it was the look in the other man’s eyes.

He always got into his head too much and no one knew that better than Felix. San had warned him about keeping an eye on Chan falling into his head, and Felix had promised he would look after him, but it was so much harder when it concerned him directly. Why couldn’t he just say he wanted Felix to stay? Or that it was okay to move in with Changbin because he was still welcome to come? That… he wanted him? That he… loved him?

Why couldn’t he just say something? It was so easy to talk to Chan about anything, the older man was always ready to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on, but always pulled away when it concerned himself. Even that Christmas morning, Felix could feel him holding back. Why? Didn’t he… want Felix too?

“Felix-hyung?” Seungmin’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to regard the younger man. “Ah, you’re here. Ready to go? It’s you, me and Jeongin helping out on the restaurant side.”

“Yeah, I’m ready. Sorry, just… got caught up in my thoughts,” Felix explained lamely, giving the Maine Coon were-cat a sheepish smile. “How do I look?”

Seungmin smiled. “You look great, hyung. Come on. We’ve got a busy night.”

Felix couldn’t help but laugh. “When _don’t_ we?”

“Suffering from success,” Jeongin said sagely, nodding as they came out to meet him.

“That’s an old meme but it checks out,” Felix teased, nudging Jeongin in the side. “Let’s serve the hell out of these guests! Hands in! Aussie! Au —” he paused, the smile fading from his face; that was a chant he always did with Chan, and the others (mainly Hyunjin) would join in on. But Chan wasn’t there. He was a few feet away, charming his customers with BamBam at the bar. “Sorry. Let’s go!”

Seungmin and Jeongin shared a look with each other but decided against saying anything, instead smiling and linking arms with Felix, taking him out towards the Restaurant portion of the Bar. At least there was always a busy night at _God’s Menu_ and Felix hoped that it would take his mind off Bang Chan and his bright laugh, his beautiful smile, his comforting and serene energy, and his enchanting, dual-coloured eyes.

Shit.

Felix was fucked.

He was already partway through the night, he couldn’t get distracted now. Shaking his head, Felix put on his brightest smile and walked over to his just-seated table which contained two handsome young men, one of them with dark red hair and the other with midnight black hair and scores of tattoos. “Welcome to _God’s Menu!_ ” He greeted affably. “My name is Felix but you can call me Yongbok if it’s easier. I will be your waiter tonight.”

The tattooed young man’s bright eyes widened and he grinned. “So _you’re_ Felix!” He laughed, a bright sound as clear as a bell. “I’m Hoseok! Channie and I studied Black Magic together!”

Felix paused and a smile widened on his lips, despite himself. “Oh, _you’re_ Hoseok-hyung? Chan-hyung talks about you all the time. — ah, Yoongi-hyung! It’s been a while. How’s the business?”

Yoongi inclined his head. “Puttering along,” he replied with a small smirk. “Place looks great; almost didn’t recognize it.”

“Are we celebrating anything special tonight?” Felix asked, setting down the menus gently.

“The big one year anniversary,” Hoseok said with a smile as he flicked an earring on his right ear; it was gold with a broken heart charm dangling from the engraved hoop. “Somehow he’s not sick of me yet.”

Yoongi snorted softly but was smiling wider than Felix had ever seen someone smile before. It was cute. But before he could comment on it, his eyes caught sight of a similar earring on Yoongi’s ear. No, not similar. Exact. His brows furrowed slightly and he quickly turned his waiter persona back on. “That’s awesome! Were the earrings an anniversary gift?”

Hoseok blinked. “The earrings?”

“Yeah, you and Yoongi-hyung have a matching pair of earrings,” Felix pointed out, using his pen for emphasis.

“Oh! That’s not an anniversary gift, that’s our soulmate earrings,” Hoseok explained easily, tugging on the one on his right ear.

Felix blinked back. “Soulmate… soulmate earrings?”

“I thought it was weird too,” Yoongi added, rubbing his neck. “But Hob-ah says that Black Cats have a soulmate given to them by Fate, and they spend their lives wandering to find them. Said soulmate has the other half the earring.” He flicked his own.

He could hear Yoongi talk. He really, truly, could, but in that moment, it was as if the older man was speaking to him in Klingon and through the walls of a tank of water while Felix was submerged to the bottom. Slowly, he reached up and touched his own earring, all the scattered pieces of confusing memories falling into place as his fingers pressed against the crimson red broken heart charm. “Soulmates…”

_“I think my soulmate is out there. Maybe closer than I think.”_

_“You believe in soulmates, hyung?”_

_“I do.”_

_“That’s really romantic. Do you think you’ll find them?_

_“I do.”_

He felt a hand on his forearm and snapped out of his daze, finding Hoseok’s bright yellow eyes staring back at him. “Sorry, I was just… that’s really awesome that you two found each other!” he enthused, but it was clear from his eyes that his mind was on a different planet. “All… do all … Black Cats have one? A soulmate?”

Hoseok nodded, but a frown creased his lips. “Lixie…”

“Hyung, _please_ , tell me. Does every Black Cat have a soulmate?” Felix asked, his voice tight. “They all have the same earring? No one else? No one else would have the same one? And the Black Cat… they… they’d know what the earring means, right? When they see it?” He could feel the desperation seep into his voice despite his best efforts, his fingers tight around the notepad and pen like they were life preservers.

Slowly, the Black Cat nodded and Felix felt his chest tighten further. “Yeah. Every Black Cat has a soulmate; their earring would be on the left ear whereas ours are on the right. No one’s … there’s never gonna be anybody that has the exact same earring but your soulmate. Lixie, did—”

Felix smiled brightly at them and slid the menus in front of them. “That answered a lot of questions, actually! So, what are we having tonight? Anniversary dinner is a pretty big deal, eh?”

Hoseok opened his mouth to say something but Yoongi smoothly picked up the menu, giving the Black Cat a look that they should drop it. “Yeah, we’re ready to order some appetizers. Anything you recommend?”

“So these two up here are our best sellers, and with the drink menu, our bartender BamBam has some exclusive drinks that are only available from 7-8,” Felix rattled off, smiling. “I’d definitely recommend those! BamBam-hyung’s drinks are the hot ticket in town right now.”

Yoongi hummed softly as he poured over the menu. “Definitely two of these mystery drinks and… here, we’ll take these two and then this course set down here.” He pointed to the items on the menu, Felix deftly writing it all down. “Thanks, Felix.”

“You got it!” Felix confirmed happily, bowing deeply and heading off to put in the order. He could hear Hoseok and Yoongi talk in hushed tones as he left, but all he could think about was finding Chan after the Bar closed for the night.

The rest of his shift went without incident, and he happily took a photograph for Yoongi and Hoseok, comping their dessert because it was their anniversary. He saw Chan speak to them before they left, exchanging a tight hug with both men, and Felix reached up and touched his earring. Quietly and almost mechanically, Felix went through his closing duties, helping clean up and set everything back, changing into his home clothes when everybody was getting ready to head off.

“You coming, Felix?” Changbin asked, throwing on his leather jacket.

“I’ll come back in a bit, I just need to grab some things I left here from the last time,” Felix said, smiling. “Don’t wait up.”

“All right, call if you need me to come back and grab you,” Changbin said, nodding and heading off with the others.

Felix sighed and clapped his hands over his face. He looked at himself in the mirror and nodded, emerald-hued eyes bright with determination. Felix squared his shoulders back and left the back area, walking straight to Chan’s office. He knocked twice on the door before opening it.

“Come in — Felix?” Chan’s eyes widened and he almost looked afraid. “Felix, about what I said. I didn’t mean that we should stay apart, I just—” He paused, watching as Felix strode right into this office and took his hands in his. “Felix?”

Looking Chan dead in his dual-coloured eyes, Felix gave his tattooed hands a squeeze. “Your hands look heavy; shall I hold them?” He blurted out.

A long stretch of silence fell over the two men and Chan blinked at him, confused and bewildered. “W-What?”

Unable to help it due to the insane amount of nerves ricocheting through his body at that moment and the stupidity of what he’d just said to break the tension, Felix burst into a fit of giggles and shook his head. “ _Go out to dinner with me_ ,” he said earnestly in English, biting his lip. “ _Chan-hyung, go out to dinner with me. Go out with me._ ”

It was out there now.

No take-backs.

Felix watched Chan with heightening anxiousness as the Black Cat struggled to process what had just happened. Slowly, Chan’s larger hands turned and gripped Felix’s tightly, bringing them up to press a soft kiss to his knuckles. “ _Yeah_ ,” he said finally. “ _Let’s go get dinner, Lix. There’s… there’s a lot I need to tell you_.” Chan rose from his seat, and swallowed. “ _Got a place in mind?_ ”

Dazed that Chan agreed, Felix shook his head. “ _No, if you know a good place, I’m fine._ ” The food didn’t really matter, he just needed to talk to Chan, needed to know more, needed… needed _him_.

Chan nodded back and carefully took Felix’s hand in his, heading out with him into the chilly evening air, leading him to one of the many restaurants that was open at this hour in Itaewon. Once they were seated and had their food mostly finished, Chan looked down at his hands for a long moment before looking up at Felix. “ _Before everything else, I wanna… I need to apologize, Felix. What I said that day, I didn’t… I didn’t want to hold you back, but I should’ve said that no matter what, we’d still be us. We’d still be … together. I panicked. I was… worried that… if I asked you to stay, you’d resent me, that I’d stopped you from exploring life somehow_.”

Felix frowned. “ _Hold me back? Chan-hyung, you could never… the only reason I’m half this brave is because you’ve been with me the whole time._ ”

“ _I know… I just… was scared_ ,” Chan admitted softly. “ _I was scared to lose you, that I was trapping you somehow because…_ ”

“ _Because we’re soulmates?_ ” Felix asked suddenly, startling the Black Cat.

“ _W-What? How… what do you mean?_ ” Chan asked numbly, but it was clear he knew exactly what Felix was referring to.

Felix swallowed and tugged on his heart earring on his left ear. “ _This … this is a soulmate earring, isn't it? You have the exact same one of your right ear, hyung. That means… that means we’re soulmates. Your Hoseok-hyung and Yoongi-hyung have two halves of a pair of earrings. He said it was because they were soulmates, that each Black Cat has one. I’m … I’m yours, aren’t I?_ ”

Chan was silent for a long moment, shock written all over his face and he didn’t respond at first, instead biting his lip and running a hand through his longish hair, revealing his own soulmate earring. “ _Yeah. You are, Lix. I knew I had to tell you, but I didn’t know how; I didn’t know when. We were in it together financially with the Bar, and if I said it then, it’d sound like I was trying to take advantage of you. Who believes in Soulmates nowadays anyway? You were … just trying to get your feet underneath you. And I think… deep down… I didn’t want you trapped with me. With… a Black Cat that’s only brought bad luck to those they loved._ ” He sighed heavily. “ _That… That wasn’t right. I should’ve talked to you, but I was so scared, Lix. I didn’t know how you’d react, I didn’t… want to lose you. But I fucked up and I hurt you. I’m … I’m sorry._ ”

Felix couldn’t believe his ears and he couldn’t get his voice to work properly. “ _Channie-hyung… don’t you remember what we promised? I’m never leaving you behind and you’re never leaving me behind. I meant it when I said it. When I met you… I knew it, I think. I knew you were someone special, someone… that would change my life. And you did, hyung. You showed me that I was worth saving. That… what I was, wasn’t a bad thing. That … there were others, like me and we were all valid. That I could help them. — I saw you had the same earring I did, but I didn’t know what it meant. Every time I tried to ask San-hyung, or ask you, something happened._ ”

“Felix…” Chan whispered, wiping his eyes roughly with his hand. “ _I’m sorry_. _I hurt you so badly, and I … I’m so sorry._ ”

Quickly, the Lynx were-cat shook his head. “ _I… I get it. I’m still… I’m still pissed you didn’t just talk to me, but … I get it. I know… I know what it’s like thinking that … what are you even worth, if your family threw you away? But I found a new family… and I found you. I found someone I love so fucking much that I went nuts trying to figure out why they wouldn’t want me to stay_.”

“ _I did,_ ” Chan confessed. “ _I want you with me forever, Lix. But I … I also wanted you to explore the world. I’d always be waiting for you when you came back. I just… I couldn’t say it. I thought… you might be better off without me tying you down._ ”

“ _Stupid_ ,” Felix muttered, pulling Chan in for a deep kiss. “ _Idiot_. _Stupid idiot that I love so fucking much… I love you! I’m not going anywhere._ ”

“Felix…”

“ _Say it back, Channie. Please, I’m dying here._ ”

Chan’s dual-coloured eyes brightened and he pulled Felix back in for a kiss, the Lynx feeling the overwhelming feelings that Chan put into the kiss. “ _I love you_ , _Felix_.”

“ _Show me_ ,” Felix whispered. “ _Take me home and show me_.”

The Black Cat’s blue and yellow eyes widened, then darkened with something that Felix knew was desire. “ _We’re gone_.” He took out his wallet and put down a small stack of bills, standing up and shoving his wallet into his pocket, holding out his right hand for Felix to take. Felix stared at the tattooed hand, to the stylistic logo of _God’s Menu_ , with little charms hanging off the ends of the filigree border that represented each one of the eight of them. Chan was always thinking of them. This man that had been hurt so badly by the world still put everybody ahead of himself. This stupid, beautiful, caring soul that Felix loved with all his heart… he’d do anything to keep that heart safe.

Felix smiled and took Chan’s hand, squeezing it firmly. “ _Let’s go_.” As they headed out into the bright lights of Itaewon and back to _God’s Menu_ , Felix’s heart was soaring and he could feel that Chan’s was too. For the first time, there was no question as to what the older man felt for him, what he felt when they were together.

He wanted to bottle that feeling and keep it with him forever.

The butterflies in his stomach threatened to burst out on the walk back to the Bar, getting stronger and more fervent when Chan brought him upstairs and to his bedroom. It had changed quite a bit from the last time Felix had been in it, more personalized and more _Chan_. Speaking of Chan, Felix raised his head from sending a text to Changbin that he’d be staying with Chan tonight, and saw the Black Cat shucking off his jacket and tossing it aside.

Chan turned and smiled, cupping Felix’s face and pressing their foreheads together. “Can I kiss you, Felix?” he asked softly.

“You can do a lot more than just kiss me,” Felix breathed, tilting his head back as Chan placed soft, almost reverent kisses to the flushed skin of the Lynx’s neck.

There was a pause, and Chan nuzzled Felix’s neck, right at the juncture where a mating bite would be placed, causing the Lynx to take a sharp inhale of breath. “Yeah?” Chan echoed, his voice low, rough, but still so full of love. “What do you want me to do, Lix? How do you want to do this? I can do… I can do whichever. I just wanna… I want to make you feel as good as you deserve to feel.”

Dizzy from the choice, from the admission that Chan was totally fine with him on top, Felix almost didn’t know what to pick. Finally, he captured Chan’s lips in a deep kiss, anchoring a hand in that beautiful, inky black hair that he loved so much. “I want you to take me,” he whispered, not trusting his voice to go any higher. “S-Show me… show me what you’ve wanted to do this whole time.”

The Black Cat’s broad shoulders hunched up and he let out a low growl against Felix’s neck, the rumble deep and rough as it imprinted itself on Felix’s skin. It sent shivers down the younger man’s spine, his fingers tightening in Chan’s thick hair as waves of heightening arousal curled around Felix like a vice, pulling him deeper and deeper into Chan’s embrace. “Have you done this before?” the Black Cat asked, his voice low, but even.

“Once,” Felix admitted shyly, the heat rising to his face. “It wasn’t that good, so I don’t really know if it counts…” He buried his face against Chan’s neck, nuzzling his tattoo of a pair of cresting waves. “Do you even have… what we’d need here?”

Chan pressed a kiss to Felix’s head and pulled back with a nod. “After Christmas, I thought…” he turned red and opened his side drawer, taking out a small bottle of lube and a box of condoms, tossing them onto the bed. “It was good to be proactive, just in case…”

Felix grinned, easily imagining Chan with a fire-engine red face buying these at the convenience store and a new surge of confidence coursed through his veins. “So thoughtful,” he teased, resting his hands on Chan’s chest, and slyly beginning to unbutton Chan’s black button-down to reveal the swath of tattoos that he’d wanted to see for so, so long. Now he could see them, touch them … Felix felt lightheaded at the access he now had. “Shit, hyung… how do you get so ripped?”

The Black Cat blushed and tried to push Felix’s hands away from his toned abdomen, but the Lynx was having none of it, instead pressing kisses to each inch of skin he could as fast as he could. His fingers greedily ran along his Black Cat Mark, framed by a gothic picture frame with marigolds and cosmos flowers growing out of it as his mouth pressed against the spell book he got a glimpse of on Christmas on his other pectoral. Devilishly, Felix curled his tongue around a nipple, delighting in the strangled gasp that pulled itself from Chan’s tattooed throat.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” Chan choked out, hands gripping Felix’s sloped shoulders. When Felix didn’t seem to be slowing down, Chan grunted and crouched down, easily picking Felix up as the Lynx weighed nothing at all and depositing him on the bed with a gentle toss. As the younger man looked on in surprise, Chan peeled off his button-down shirt, tossing it aside carelessly and revealing his nearly full torso of tastefully and skillfully done tattoos.

Felix felt lightheaded; while he knew that Chan had both of his arms done in full sleeves, he never really got to see them when they were all filled in and coloured. More than that, he hadn’t ever seen the tattoos on Chan’s left side, a navy blue/black raven with piercing blue eyes, with one of its wings curled around a bright, silvery blue moon. In the raven’s mouth was a golden chain, with a flower that had a bright smiley face on it, with multicoloured petals.

“Do you need a minute?” Chan teased.

“Shut up,” Felix managed, pulling Chan down for another deep kiss, groaning in delight as he could feel the older man’s weight press down on him, moulding the mattress around his frame. “You don’t get to be smug… _oh fuck_.”

A deep chuckle left Chan’s lips and pressed itself to Felix’s as the Black Cat palmed between the younger man’s legs, his touch gentle but sure. “Sorry,” he whispered, sliding his tongue along the piercings on Felix’s ear, gently nipping at his soulmate earring. The soft whimper that left Felix’s lips clearly affected the older were-cat, and he paused briefly to let out a shuddering breath himself. “God, Felix… you’re beautiful.” At the younger’s confirmation, Chan carefully pulled off Felix’s shirt, taking his time in appreciating the Lynx’s sinewy yet strong frame, pressing as many kisses as he could down his chest down to his waist. As he carefully removed Felix’s pants and boxers, Chan glanced up. “Still okay? Talk to me, Lix.”

Felix bit his lip, eyes rolling back into his head at the feeling of Chan between his legs and he huffed out a laugh at the question. “ _Touch me, tease me, fill me up_ ,” he half-sang, his shoulders shaking at the ridiculousness of quoting WayV’s _Love Talk_ in a situation like this.

There was a long pause before Chan grinned against Felix’s thigh. “ _Ooh, tell me babe, tell me how you like it, babe_ …” Chan sang back, a dopey, lovesick grin on his lips before he delved down and sucked a bright bruise on Felix’s inner thigh, somewhere where only he could see. “ _I love the way you’re talking to me_ …”

The Lynx’s bright laugh filled the room, and he put a hand over his face to hide his embarrassed expression. “Chan, please… I need you, I’m gonna go mental if you don’t…”

“So you _just want me to make it clap_?” Chan teased, running a soothing hand up Felix’s side as he reached for the bottle with his free hand. Felix lightly kicked at him, but Chan could see the smile that was peeking out from underneath his freckled arm. Unable to help it, Chan moved the Lynx’s arm and placed a soft kiss to his lips. “I love you.” He was drunk on the power of being able to say it, freely, openly, as many times as he wanted.

Felix groaned, his lips parting at the declaration, the blush brightening all over his freckled skin. He opened his eyes and smiled, gently tugging Chan over for another kiss, this one deeper, drunk himself on the fact he could do this whenever he wanted. “I love you too,” Felix whispered back, giving Chan’s broad shoulders a squeeze. “Please, more?”

“Yeah … fuck, Lix, yeah, of course,” Chan murmured, stealing a brief kiss before snapping open the bottle of lube, not missing how the sound caused Felix’s cock to twitch. “Eager? I don’t blame you, I’ve kept you waiting so long. I’m sorry, Lix…” He pressed a kiss of apology to Felix’s neck, right over where a mate would make their mark, sitting back on his heels and coating his fingers in the clear gel. “Tell me if it hurts, or if you hate it, okay? We don’t have to do all this tonight. Just having you in my arms, that’s more than enough.”

Breathing shallowly, Felix nodded.

“I need to hear it from you, Lix.”

Felix swallowed. “Y-Yeah, I … I will, Channie. Promise.” He chewed at his lip as he felt Chan spread his legs a bit more, moving between them like he belonged there. Heat rushed to Felix’s freckled cheeks as he tilted his head back, feeling a slick finger gently press in.

“Talk to me, Lix… how is it?” Chan asked softly. “Does it hurt?”

Felix shook his head. “It’s weird, but … no, I’m not hurt. — Keep going?”

Chan nodded, pressing a kiss to the younger man’s quivering thigh. “You’re doing great, Lix. Keep breathing… I’m going to get you used to one, then we’ll go up more, okay? Anytime you wanna stop, let me know.”

“— _Chris fucking Bang_ if you make me wait _one more day_ , I’m going to commit murder,” Felix hissed.

There was a brief pause as Chan processed the threat that had been levied against him, before biting back a laugh and nodding. “Okay, okay. Just, don’t force yourself.” The previously light tone was engulfed by Felix’s needy whine, slender fingers curling around his own length to try and get _some_ semblance of relief. Carefully and with a great amount of care, Chan worked the younger man open, placing kisses to Felix’s side and hip to keep him relaxed, moving his hand away from himself so he didn’t come too soon. “Ready, Lix?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Felix breathed, green eyes fluttering shut. “Please, Chan, I … I want you so bad, I just… _please_.” Embarrassed by the begging, Felix tried to curl in on himself, but Chan kept him firmly in place.

Chan exhaled softly as he got himself ready, shucking off his own pants and boxers, having to take his time so his trembling fingers didn’t screw up the important part of tearing and rolling on the condom. He slicked up his length, hissing softly at the feeling and the anticipation building hotly in his gut. “Deep breaths, Lix… hold onto me as tight as you can. If it hurts, let me know.” Waiting until he heard Felix verbally respond, Chan steeled his composure as best he could and slowly pressed in and struggling not to come right out the gate. Felix was _tight_ and _perfect_ , it was almost impossible to keep himself focused and lose himself in the feeling but he had to. “L-Lix… you… shit. You feel amazing…”

Felix’s blunted nails dug deeply into Chan’s shoulders, his legs wrapping tight around the older man’s waist as if trying to get him to get in as far as he could go. A choked moan came out of both of them, bodies trembling as they struggled to get used to the overwhelming sensations and feelings washing over them both like a tidal wave. “G-God,” Felix whispered, feeling his eyes roll back into his head as Chan stayed still, letting the younger get used to the overwhelming pressure.

“Are you okay?” Chan asked, his voice thick with lust but still remarkably restrained.

“G-Give me a minute,” Felix replied, his breathing ragged and heavy.

“T-Take your time…” Chan whispered, gently raising a tattooed hand and brushing Felix’s matted blond hair away from his face. “We have… we have time.” Even though he knew it before saying it aloud, there was some kind of power in verbalizing it, and watching Felix’s green eyes widen in recognition.

Something seemed to flip inside of Felix, and some of that mischievous fire from Christmas morning came back in full force. He reached up with his hand, taking Chan’s in his and guiding it down so Felix could suck on one of his tattooed fingers, eyes glinting devilishly in the dim light of Chan’s room. “I bet I could make you come first,” he said once he let Chan’s finger slide out from his mouth, slick with spit.

Chan looked as if his soul had left his body, and there was an undeniable thrill Felix felt at being the one to do that to him. As Felix tightened around him, Chan let out a shaky exhale. “Yeah, you probably could,” he admitted, kissing along Felix’s sweat slicked jaw, his kisses getting biting once they were down tantalizingly close to the Lynx’s jugular. “Though I bet if I bite you here… if I make you mine, I can make you come in an instant.”

A surprised whine left the Lynx, and he felt dizzy at the thought. Being mated to Chan? Yeah, he couldn’t deny that he was into that idea. He was _very_ into that idea. But, Felix could also play this game. “See if you can make me come without resorting to that,” he challenged.

“So that’s how you wanna play it, eh?” Chan asked, giving an experimental thrust of his hips, watching with intense satisfaction as Felix’s smug look shattered into one of sheer pleasure.

Felix swallowed. “Yeah, that’s how I wanna play it.” Maybe it was base of him, but he wanted to see Chan use those toned muscles of his, _really_ use them and pound him through the mattress. His eyes focused on the tattoo on Chan’s right forearm, the one that he got for Felix, and he grinned. Tugging the Black Cat down, Felix licked a long stripe up the tattoo, swirling his tongue around the date they met. “Fuck me, Chan… I really want you to…” he breathed, eyes fluttering shut as he licks his lips. He knows how fucked out he must look and he must be drunk off the waves of sheer desire and love rolling off Chan and blanketing him completely, but he didn’t care; he wanted to feel this, feel _Chan_ forever.

Something snapped in the older man, and his dual-hued gaze darkened considerably, his tongue darting out to wet his drying lips. “You’re a demon,” Chan whispered almost reverently, leaning forward to pin Felix’s wrists to either side of his head as he nearly bent the younger man in half. “Good…?”

“Y-Yeah, want it like this,” Felix confirmed, sinfully flexible and pliable in Chan’s hold. “C’mon, harder. Want it … want it hard, hyung…”

Exhaling sharply, Chan nodded and stole a deep kiss from Felix’s swollen lips as he started moving in earnest. He stayed pressed low to his soulmate, shifting his hold on Felix’s wrists and instead holding his hands tightly, trading deep and brief kisses. Once Felix realized that they were holding hands, Felix keened, breaking the kiss to moan against Chan’s ear. It didn’t take long at all for Chan to come after that, biting the other side of Felix’s neck - hard enough to break the skin and leave a rapidly purpling bruise. The sharpness of the bite and the fact that it was Chan doing it, Chan finally letting go and letting Felix feel _everything_ that caused the Lynx to quickly follow suit, hurtling after his soulmate into the euphoric abyss.

The air was thick with the smell of sex, the only sound filling the stifling silence being their heavy breathing and the heavy rustling of the sheets. Chan shakily moved his face from its home on Felix’s neck, pressing a soft, apologetic kiss to the love bite he’d left; Felix would have to wear a high collared shirt for a while. Carefully, he slowly pulled out and tied off the condom, tossing into the nearby wastebasket.

“Hey,” he whispered, turning Felix’s head towards him once he’d gotten them both cleaned up, taking extra care with his soulmate given how oversensitive he must have been feeling.

A shy smile creased Felix’s swollen lips and he leaned up to steal a soft kiss. “Hey,” he said in return, winking.

“How are you? Does anything hurt too much? You’ll be sore for a while and there’s some less than sexy stuff we’ll have to do later to make sure you don’t bruise or something worse…” Chan was apologetic and Felix fought hard not to coo at the older man.

“I’m good,” Felix promised, kissing him again. “I love you, Bang Chan.”

Chan’s entire face lit up and he happily pulled the Lynx into his arms, burying deep under the sheets. “I love you too, Lee Felix,” he whispered back, tattooing the phrase against his soulmate’s lips. “I’ll never leave you behind.”

“I’ll never leave you behind either,” Felix promised, nodding as he pressed as tight as he could against the Black Cat. “It’s you and me vs the world, remember?”

Chan nodded, the black chains around his heart finally shattering to dust and freeing it, allowing it to love Felix with everything it had, to allow his soulmate to be the haven it so desperately desired. And he would do everything in his power to be the safe space for Felix’s heart.

It was within the younger man’s arms that the tomorrow he dreamed of lay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CAN I GET A HALLELUJAH?


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God's Menu's first anniversary is around the corner and an old adversary returns to settle the score. But this time, Chan's not going down without a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T/W: there's some minor violence in this chapter, and brief description of someone sustaining an eye injury. It isn't graphic but it is there and I wanted everyone to be careful.

Despite all the (as Chan rightfully labelled) unsexy aftercare, Felix still felt sore as hell when he woke up the next morning. Not as bad as it could have been, he figured, but still. Oof. He stiffly ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it a bit with a soft groan. There was a shift beside him and Felix stilled, glancing over with curious green eyes to where Chan was dead asleep, half in the blanket and half out of it. His right leg was kicked out of the blanket while he held the rest as tightly as one would a stuffed animal.

A fond smile came to Felix’s lips and he was about to brush Chan’s chin-length hair out of his eyes when Chan’s legs shifted, and the Lynx’s gaze dropped to his right thigh and his eyes widened, his soul leaving his body: there, in all its glory on Chan’s muscular thigh was a large tattoo that went from his hip down to just above his knee. It was Jack, from _A Nightmare Before Christmas_ , in his tattered Santa costume, with battered wings and a phrase - ‘What the Heck, I went and did my Best’. In Jack’s outstretched hand was what Felix had come to recognize as one of Chan’s magical glyph tattoos.

Knowing full well curiosity killed the cat but unable to help himself, Felix bit his lip and scooted closer, fingers lightly dancing along the gorgeous artwork on an even more gorgeous canvas. His eyes flicked up to watch Chan’s face, and once sure that the older were-cat was still asleep, leaned down to press a kiss to the meatiest part of his thigh.

Suddenly, there was a weight on his head that he recognized as Chan’s hand. “Don’t let me interrupt,” Chan murmured, his voice rough and thick with sleep.

The rush of embarrassment from getting caught quickly subsided and Felix flicked his eyes up to catch Chan’s sleepy eyed gaze. “I thought you were asleep,” he admitted sheepishly. “There’s nothing to see here, go back to sleep.”

“There’s quite a lot to see,” Chan murmured, long fingers threading through Felix’s blond hair, gently tightening his grip and loosening it, inadvertently giving the Lynx a pretty lewd idea of what they could do next time. “How are you feeling, Lix?”

“Sore,” Felix confessed, resting his head against Chan’s thigh; might as well make the most of being able to be this close to his thigh tattoo. “But not as bad as I thought.” He looked up at Chan, biting his lip. “About me living with Changbin-hyung…”

Chan smiled and pulled Felix into his arms, hugging him close. “Mm? What about it?”

“I… I kind of… I see your point, about living on my own for a bit. But … I can still stay over here, right?” Felix asked, biting his lip again.

“What? Of course you can,” Chan said, gently poking at Felix’s lip so he’d stop chewing on it. “There’s nothing stopping you from coming over here whenever you want.” He smiled. “I’ll be here waiting for you.” He paused and snuggled him. “Hyunjin and Jeongin, too.”

Felix smiled and nuzzled him back. “No offence to Hyunjin-hyung and Jeonginie, but I prefer you.”

Chan laughed. “I’m glad to hear it.” He sighed softly after a minute and ran a hand through his own hair. “If I had gotten my shit together earlier, I could’ve taken you out for a Valentine’s Day dinner,” he muttered sourly.

The Lynx blinked slowly before a grin split his lips and he hugged Chan tightly. “There’s always the next one, but now you have to make it extra good,” he teased.

“Mm. That I can do,” Chan murmured, leaning down and stealing a kiss - deliriously happy that he could do this whenever he wanted - and another one, the two of them falling into a soft and languid rhythm. The thick rustle of the blanket and sheets undercut the soft moans that pierced the silence. “Mm, we should go and shower… Jisung and Changbin were going to be coming here in the morning to work on some stuff…”

Felix whined in mild frustration, stubbornly tugging Chan back down so he could continue kissing him. “They can wait,” he insisted. It felt too good, being in the warmth of a bed that had been slept in, that they spent their first night together in, with Chan’s body nice and close, smelling of Felix… so sue him, he wanted it for as long as he could have it. “I wanna stay like this for a little while longer. Please?”

Chan sighed softly, but Felix could feel the smile press itself against his lips. There was something intoxicating about waking up in the morning with Felix there, wrapped up in the sheets and each other, warm and … _domestic_. For the first time in a very long time, Chan felt like he was able to let himself be happy, to enjoy the home he’d made with Felix and the others. “This won’t be the last time, I promise,” he whispered. “But we need to shower if you don’t want the others relentlessly teasing us all day about this.”

That seemed to do the trick and Felix sighed in defeat, nuzzling Chan’s neck with a mumbled surrender. “Fine,” the Lynx were-cat acquiesced, giving the Black Cat’s _golden wattle_ tattoo a playful nip. “But I want to suck you off in the shower.”

It was perhaps more satisfying than he would like to admit to see Chan choke on his spit, his face fire-engine red. “L-Lix!”

“Don’t you want that?” Felix asked, sliding up to his knees and despite the slight burn of soreness, threw his leg over Chan’s lap, sitting nice and square on the Black Cat’s lap. He grinned as Chan’s tattooed hands rested gently on the Lynx’s hips, squeezing absently as his Adam’s apple bobbed from a thick swallow.

“I want it a lot, but we should take it easy,” Chan said softly, reverently sliding his hands up Felix’s sides, his fingertips memorizing each and every cluster of freckles. He took Felix’s hands in his, gently tugging him down for a slow, loving kiss while squeezing their hands. “And I love you too much to make you overexert yourself.”

A furious blush coloured Felix’s cheeks, heightening the beauty of his freckles. Chan could see the blush travel all the way down his neck and chest, the sight filling his heart with affection. “How can you just say stuff like that?” Felix muttered, looking away in embarrassment.

Chan chuckled, slowly sitting up and wrapping his long, tattooed arms around the younger man. “It’s easy when it’s you.” He pressed a soft kiss to Felix’s nose, right on his favourite burst of freckles on the Lynx’s face, laughing softly when his soulmate wrinkled his nose. “Come on, let’s go.” Unable to help himself, he snuggled Felix a few more times before carefully setting Felix down on the bed, getting up and grabbing his boxers. He tugged them on, tossing Felix’s clothes over to him. “I’ll take a quick look just to make sure they’re not here yet.”

“All right…” Felix nodded, watching as Chan cracked the door open, and poked his head out. That it gave him a nice, unobstructed view of Chan’s muscular back was a bonus. He straightened up when Chan turned back around, and gave him an innocent smile. “So? What’s the verdict?”

“We’re in the clear, come on.” Chan gave Felix a wink, taking his hand and after they grabbed their clothes, headed to the bathroom. While the shower was less sexy than Felix had hoped, it more than made up for in its sweetness, with Chan taking his time to ensure that they were both able to get under the hot water, and washed Felix’s hair. That might have been the Lynx’s favourite part, feeling Chan’s strong hands massage his scalp, listening as the Black Cat hummed an ear worm that had been stuck in his head lately. “Hey, did you fall asleep?”

Felix blinked slowly, coming out of the comfortable haze. “No, you did.”

Chan laughed, clear and beautiful, amplified by the acoustics in the fancy shower. He captured Felix’s lips in a soft kiss, arms wrapped tight around his slender but toned frame. “Seems like it’s time for us to get out of here before we’re wrinkly.”

“I guess,” Felix mumbled, embarrassed that he’d dozed off in the middle of a shower, easily movable as they cut the water and dried off. There was still enough of Felix’s old clothes left at the loft that he could wear something other than the clothes he came to _God’s Menu_ in, much to his relief as he heard the doors open downstairs.

Chan let out a soft exhale himself. “Talk about cutting it close,” he muttered, heading downstairs with his soulmate and smiling warmly when Jisung and Changbin perked up upon seeing him. “Morning, you two.” It was surprising that Jeongin wasn’t already up, but maybe Hyunjin had finally convinced the Ghost Tabby to sleep in for once. 

“Seems like it was a real good morning,” Changbin said, smirking as he saw Felix tup down the steps a few seconds later, sleepy and fluffy.

“Not a word out of either of you,” Chan warned, though there was no malice in his tone whatsoever.

Jisung huffed. “Not even to express our relief that you two finally ended our collective suffering? What am I going to tell Sannie?”

“You’re going to tell him nothing,” Chan replied, shaking his head with a laugh. “Didn’t you two come down here for breakfast and to work on the song for the bar?”

Changbin rolled his eyes as Jisung followed Felix into the kitchen, whether to help or to be a taste-tester was initially unclear. “You’ve gotta be smoking something if you think we’re not going to talk about this even a little. You two are good?”

Knowing that Changbin of all people deserved an answer, Chan nodded. “Yeah, we talked it all out and we’re good.”

“Good,” Changbin said with a nod, clapping a hand on Chan’s broad shoulder. “I didn’t want to have to kick your ass for making Felix sad.”

“I would have done it to myself,” Chan replied honestly.

Changbin smirked and squeezed his shoulder, the smirk melting into a fond smile. “Real talk, I’m glad that you two sorted it out. I was worried about the two of you.”

“Thank you for everything, Changbin,” Chan said, smiling. “But we’ve got to focus on the song if we want it done in time for the anniversary of the Bar opening.”

“Ugh, I don’t know why we decided that had to be the deadline,” Changbin muttered, running a hand through his hair. “It’s like two and a half weeks from now.”

Chan nodded, rubbing his neck. “But we did, so we’ve got to at least try.”

Felix joined them up in the studio once they’d had breakfast, watching curiously as Jisung, Chan and Changbin talked animatedly about the song and debated beat placement, lyric refinement and a whole host of things that flew over his head. He couldn’t help but continue to watch, however, as Chan seemed to come alive as he worked with Jisung and Changbin, the trio animatedly talking over each other while clicking away at their keyboards. He smiled, pulling his knees up to his chest as he watched from one of the couches, finding it more fun to watch than he anticipated, particularly how bright Chan seemed to be in the mid-morning sun. Looking down at his hand where his matching ring was, a smile coming to his lips as he twisted it back and forth idly.

_I’ll never leave you behind ~ Bang Chan_

“Ugh!” Jisung exclaimed, slamming his hands down on the desk, startling Felix out of his cozy reverie. “Something’s just not _hitting_.”

Changbin rubbed his eyes. “You’ve been saying that and nothing else for the past two hours.”

“…maybe you guys should take a break?” Felix suggested. “Like, just 15 minutes? If you’re going to keep working on it, you should let your brains recharge. Doesn’t seem like you’re getting anywhere like this.”

Chan sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Probably,” he admitted. He closed his eyes as he pressed his back into the ergonomic chair, inhaling and exhaling deeply.

“Do you think AGUST D goes through writer’s block like this?” Jisung asked out of the blue, running a hand through his dual coloured hair. “Like, him and RM? Two lyrical and musical geniuses like that, you think they get blocked?”

Changbin raised an eyebrow. “ _Everybody_ gets writer’s block.”

_“I’m telling you, this Hongjoong kid is really sharp; I played him this beat I was stuck on and he just tilted his head like a puppy and said ‘hyung, if you slow the beat down by 0.75x and pitch up the snares, that’ll do what you said’. He just said it, like I hadn’t been stuck on this beat for six weeks.”_

_“Sounds like we should keep him in the back pocket for the next time we’re stuck, Namjoon-ah.”_

Chan suddenly sat up straight as a board, slamming his hands down on the armrests. “That’s it!” Quickly, Chan stood up and pulled out his cellphone, scrolling through his contacts and pressing dial on one of them in particular. “Yoongi-hyung, it’s Bang Chan. — Am I calling at a bad time?”

Yoongi chuckled on the other end of the line. “Nah, you’re good. Joon and I are just in the studio with the kid, working on some new stuff. What’s up?”

“That’s perfect,” Chan breathed. “Jisung, Changbin and I are stuck on this track for the Bar. We’re looking to use it as a marketing tool and a way to showcase not only our music but the hosts and the Bar. Problem is, we’ve been stuck for a while now and our deadline’s coming up. Would you be able to give it a listen, see what you think?”

There was a pause on the other end, and Chan could hear Yoongi pull the phone away from his ear and call Namjoon to ask him something unintelligible. “Come down and we’ll give it a listen. I’ll text you the address,” Yoongi said finally.

“You’re a literal angel,” Chan said with a tired laugh.

“Consider us even for getting me and Hob-ah in for our anniversary dinner,” Yoongi replied easily and Chan could imagine the older man waving his hand nonchalantly. “Bring your friends.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, it’s all good.”

“We’ll be there ASAP. Thank you, Hyung!” Chan breathed a sigh of relief as he ended the call, looking at three stunned faces looking back at him.

Jisung opened his mouth several times before Changbin was the one that spoke. “Did you just… call up and ask AGUST D for help on our track? And he said yes? And he said…”

“… to come to his studio?!” Jisung finished, dumbfounded.

“Yeah? I mean you don’t know what the answer will be if you don’t ask.” Chan blinked as his phone pinged when he finished transferring the song to a USB stick, smiling widely as Yoongi’s text came through with the address and a google maps pin. “Let’s get going. — Felix, do you want to come?”

Felix shook his head with a smile. “I’m gonna catch up with Hyunjin-hyung and Jeonginie before we open for lunch. Good luck!”

Chan smiled and pressed a quick kiss to Felix’s cheek, much to Changbin and Jisung’s amusement. “All right, sounds good. We’ll be back before the Bar opens but call me if you need anything.” Unable to help himself, he stole another kiss from Felix’s lips to which the Lynx happily laughed into, before heading off with Jisung and Changbin, trying his best not to grin like a fool despite the incessant teasing from the other two rappers.

“You two are disgustingly cute,” Changbin snickered as they made their way to the subway station.

“I think I got cavities,” Jisung added, sticking a finger in his mouth and making a gagging sound before collapsing into a fit of giggles against Chan’s side.

Chan sighed and jokingly tried to shake Jisung off him. “Cram it.” A mischievous smirk curled the Black Cat’s lips and he grabbed Jisung so he wouldn’t be able to escape. “And when are you going on that date with Minho?”

The Chimera were-cat stilled and tried valiantly to get out of Chan’s grip, but the Black Cat was far stronger and easily kept him in place. “W-What date? I’m not going on any date, who’s talking about dates? Weirdo.”

“Changbin, you saw Jisung’s note to Minho for Secret Santa, right?” Chan asked conversationally as he tugged Jisung onto the subway car, followed by a very amused Changbin.

“Sure did,” Changbin confirmed, laughing when Jisung whined in embarrassment. “I have to admit, Ji, didn’t think that you were the one that was going to ask first. I had good money on Min cracking first.”

Jisung grumbled and puffed out his cheeks as he rested his face against Chan’s forearm, still in a bit of a loose headlock. “You shouldn’t bully me, I’m doing my best,” he mumbled.

Chan laughed and shifted so that he was hugging the younger man instead. “I think it’s sweet,” he said. “The only reason I asked is because Minho’s been talking to me way more than usual and putting out feelers for what kind of things you’d like to do.”

“So _that’s_ why he kept skulking around you,” Changbin said with a cackle.

Smiling, Chan gave Jisung an one-armed hug. “In all seriousness, I’m happy for you two. Let me know if you two need help with anything, yeah?”

Shyly rubbing the back of his neck, Jisung nodded as his cheeks flushed bright red. “Thanks, hyung. But can we talk about literally anything else before I die from embarrassment?”

“Considering how much fun you were having teasing me, I should say no,” Chan teased, but relented and sat back in his seat as the train rattled along the tracks. They settled into a comfortable but excited silence, Chan finding himself staring out the window once the train got out of the tunnel and onto the surface track. Things had changed so much in such a short time, that he hadn’t realized just how much until that moment. Felix’s ring glinted in the mid-morning sun, and a lovesick smile creased his lips.

Changbin and Jisung, while playing it cool, got decidedly more nervous the closer they got to the studio, and Chan felt his own excitement beginning to rise. He knew how much Jisung and Changbin looked up to Yoongi, and if he was honest, he was very excited to learn everything he could from the older man.

“I can’t believe I’m gonna work on a track with AGUST D,” Jisung whispered.

“Keep it together,” Changbin muttered, though he wasn’t fairing much better as Chan pressed the buzzer.

“…Yeah?” came a low voice through the speaker.

Chan smiled. “It’s Bang Chan, hyung. I’ve brought my friends Jisung and Changbin with me.”

“Ah, you got here quicker than I thought. All right, come in. Just go straight down the hall and hook a right; door’s gonna be open.”

“Thank you!” Chan gripped the handle and wrenched open the door, heading in with Changbin and Jisung hot on his heels. Once they’d reached the studio door, Chan knocked three times before opening it and bowing deeply. “Good Morning.”

Inside the high tech studio was Yoongi and Namjoon each sitting at a desk, but there was also a younger man around Changbin’s age, with bright red hair and sharp eyes that was lounging on a desk chair by Namjoon. Yoongi smiled and pushed himself up, walking over and sliding his hands into his hoodie’s pockets. “Morning,” he greeted. He glanced over and bowed slightly to Jisung and Changbin. “Min Yoongi. That’s Kim Namjoon and the kid’s Kim Hongjoong.”

“This is Han Jisung and Seo Changbin. I’m Bang Chan,” Chan introduced them to the trio and himself to Hongjoong as it was clear that Changbin and Jisung were a bit too starstruck to say much.

“Yo,” Hongjoong greeted from his perch beside Namjoon. “Hyung said you guys were having trouble with a song?”

“Trouble’s a generous way to put it,” Chan sighed as Yoongi brought him over to his station, taking the USB from the Black Cat and inserting into his computer tower. He brought up the song and all its parts, studying the layout without even hitting the playback for a long moment, gesturing silently for Namjoon and Hongjoong to come over.

Jisung looked over at Changbin. “I think I’m going to die; what if he hates it?”

“He’s not going to hate it,” Changbin said, but he looked just as worried. “How can Chan-hyung just look so calm talking to RM and AGUST D like it’s nothing?”

“I have no idea,” Jisung replied, shrugging in disbelief. “He knows all these insanely talented people and is just like oh yeah, Kim Seokjin and Lee Taemin are my hyungs and I know AGUST D and RM, no problem they’re just cool guys.”

Chan glanced over and waved his hand. “Come over here you two, you’re gonna wanna see this.” Startled out of their anxiousness, Changbin and Jisung quickly came over to Yoongi’s station, standing awkwardly behind the rapper’s chair and trying not to crowd.

Hongjoong, Yoongi and Namjoon each had a pair of headphones on as Yoongi played the track once, twice, then three times, each one of the three men’s expressions thoughtful. “I see what youguys mean,” Hongjoong said finally, tugging his headphones off. “It feels like there’s just _something_ that’s not connecting right, but the pieces are all there.”

Namjoon pulled up the lyrics from the file folder, rubbing his chin as he listened to the track one more time, following along with the rough vocals. “How married are you to the melody progression being like it is right here?”

“Huh? You mean move segments around?” Chan asked, leaning forward.

Yoongi nodded and copied the file over to a separate folder so he could mess with it without screwing up their previous file. “These parts that slow down… I think Joon-ah and I are on the same track for once. If you move these here and build back up to the main chorus — like this. So it’ll go bump bump bump BAM BAM BAM and into the chorus, down back up and stay up.”

Jisung’s eyes widened and he pointed at a segment. “Hyung! That one. Can you move it back a bit, like three seconds?”

“Like this?” Yoongi asked, shifting the file.

Changbin gripped the back of the chair and leaned forward. “That’s it! Ji and I bookend the song, and hyung’s the anchor with the chorus. We can get the others to do these lines right here and these two parts are Felix’s that’ll hook it.”

Hongjoong’s eyes lit up and he pushed himself out of his chair, turning to regard Changbin. “Changbin, yeah? This intro of yours, the _welcome, it’s easy to choose what you want in our kitchen_ , I think if we repeat here at the end as an outro, it’s gonna just slap the listener in the face that you guys mean business. End it with a dun dun dun fading out, maybe?”

Chan blinked as Yoongi easily replicated and laid the vocal file down, making a rough mock-up as the others were brainstorming. “This is it…” He whispered. “This is it!” he said louder, excited.

Yoongi turned around in his seat, with a small smile on his lips. “Sounds like you guys can take it from here.”

“This is perfect! Thank you so much,” Jisung said, bowing. “We really owe you one.”

Namjoon waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it; we know what it’s like to be stuck. Music’s about collaboration, you know?”

Hongjoong grinned as he plopped back down in his seat. “This is the first time I’ve heard of a host bar having such a banger of a song, I’m gonna be real.”

“Gotta set yourself apart,” Changbin replied with a grin.

Chan looked at his phone’s clock as Yoongi copied everything back onto the USB stick, making a separate folder to avoid confusion. “If we head back now, we’ll have a couple of hours before the Bar opens. Minho, Hyunjin, Felix and Jeongin can handle the lunch rush, so we’ll just head in through the back. Sound good?”

Jisung nodded. “Works for me. Once we close up we can get everybody in for a quick team meeting and explain what we’d need from them vocal wise.”

“You think we can get everyone to agree?” Changbin asked, rubbing his neck. “Not everybody’s a singer.”

“I think it’ll be fine if we can assure them that they won’t sound silly,” Chan said, slipping his phone into his pocket. “It’ll take some time to work with them on their lines, but thanks to Yoongi-hyung, Namjoon-hyung and Hongjoong, we can knock this out in two weeks.” He turned to the trio and nodded, bowing deeply. “Thank you guys again, we really appreciate it.”

Hongjoong nodded. “Anytime!” He laughed. “Maybe someday I’ll be able to afford to eat at your restaurant.”

Chan laughed. “I look forward to having you whenever you’re able to come.”

“Good luck,” Yoongi said, giving them a wave. “Send me the finished track, yeah?”

Changbin grinned. “If all goes well, it’ll be up on the website.”

Chan blinked. “Oh that’s right, we’ll need to film the promo video as well… I know you guys do photography, but do you know anybody who can do filming?”

Namjoon shared a look with Yoongi. “We do videography too,” he said, smiling.

“Ah, really? Perfect!” Chan walked over, and much to everyone else’s amusement, began to work out a tentative agreement with both Yoongi and Namjoon. “I’ll let you know as soon as we’re ready. It’ll be at the Bar so we can show it off and before the 25th, the bar’s anniversary.”

“Gotcha, that works for us,” Namjoon said, taking the piece of paper they scratched out the details on after Chan took a picture on his phone. “See you then.”

Chan bowed deeply and said his goodbyes alongside Jisung and Changbin, making sure he had the USB stick before heading off with the two younger were-cats. “I’m a little nervous but things are really coming together.”

“Why are you nervous?” Changbin asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, the last time we thought we had things under control _Star Shine_ fucking trashed half the bar,” Jisung sighed.

Changbin stared at him. “You serious?”

Chan sighed himself, and nodded, fingers gripping the USB stick in his pocket. “Yeah, it was right before the Host Bar Battle, I came in to find half the place trashed. The liquor, the kitchen, half the booths were wrecked. If it wasn’t for Jin-hyung and the others, I don’t know what we would’ve done. We were really lucky.”

“Christ,” Changbin said in disbelief. “Well, hopefully nothing like that happens this time. We’ll be ready.”

Chan smiled. “Yeah.”

Once back at the Bar, the trio put their noses to the metaphorical grindstone and with the guidance track that they figured out with Yoongi, Hongjoong and Namjoon, polished off the track within a week. Their vocals were laid down within two days, and it took another three days to convince the others to give it a shot with a line or two each. Felix, while initially shy, once he got over his nerves, came into his own and owned his parts - and if Chan was honest, it was one of the hottest things he’d ever seen.

The concept for the promotional video was simple enough - the hosts would be dressed to the nines, giving a tour of the restaurant and bar while the song played, with little scenes spliced in that showed off their individual personalities and talents. Namjoon had the brilliant idea of splicing the footage together of the hosts in their human forms and in their were-cat forms at the end of the video, and Chan had to agree that it was the perfect choice once he’d seen the final product.

Chan sighed as he finished uploading the video to the website, scheduling the launch for two days from then, March 25th, the first anniversary of _Chan’s Room/God’s Menu_. As he leaned back in the chair in his office, he closed his eyes and smiled to himself; things were really starting to turn around. It was even quiet in the bar, as the others were all out conspiring for some sort of surprise for the anniversary. They had been coy about it when Chan asked what they were all suddenly whispering about, but it was obvious that it had something to do with the first year anniversary.

He was amazed at how far they’d all come - how far _he_ had come in the last year. Everyone had grown so much, and even though most of them were living offsite, they were as close as ever. Jeongin had started to really come into his own, and it seemed that he and Hyunjin were helping each other through their similar experiences. It was nice, waking up in the morning and coming downstairs to see the two of them bickering about something or the other while making breakfast. Other times, he’d come downstairs to find that the others had come over early to have breakfast as one big group, and Chan loved those mornings the best; looking around the table at his family, his heart never quite felt so full.

A sudden crash followed by the sound of doors smashing open jolted Chan out of his contented reverie, and he quickly got to his feet. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that someone would try and rob the Bar, and Chan’s chest was tight as he carefully left his office, making his way from the back area to the front where the noise had come from. He could hear voices, and one of them was very familiar.

“I want every single part of this place trashed beyond recognition,” Sungho was saying, gripping a baseball bat. “Go upstairs, go downstairs, tear it piece by piece. You got me?”

“Yeah, we got you,” one of the giant men standing beside him said, his voice completely bored-sounding.

Sungho’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward into the Bar, looking around. “I can’t challenge this shithole again, but I can make damn sure they don’t have a bar to open. Fucking Kim Seokjin isn’t going to save that brat’s ass this time.”

Chan’s hackles raised and he stepped out from the shadows, yellow and blue eyes unnaturally bright in the dim lights of the main floor. “You have a lot of nerve showing up here again, Kim Sungho.”

Startled that there was actually someone at the Bar at this hour of the night, Sungho nearly dropped his bat in surprise but upon realizing that it was Chan that was speaking to him like that, gripped it tightly. “Bang Chan,” he said lowly, eyes narrowing. “You’re going to wish that you weren’t here tonight, kid.”

“I wasn’t blowing smoke when I said that if you keep trying to fight us, that we were going to keep fighting back,” Chan said, clenching his tattooed hands into fists. He was vastly outnumbered and the men with Sungho were massive and definitely not strangers to doing dirty work. It was a good thing Jeongin and Hyunjin were with the others tonight; he didn’t want them to be here for this - Hyunjin in particular.

“I don’t know if a mangy fur ball like you can count, but you’re out numbered. Lay down before I _put_ you down,” Sungho demanded, hand tightening around the bat. When Chan didn’t move, he swung the bat as hard as he could.

“ _Make me_ ,” Chan shot back as he caught the bat, his eyes glowing.

He would have revelled in the look of surprise and rising horror on Sungho’s face a lot longer, but a sudden weight slammed into his back, sending him crumpling to the floor. Chan choked out a rough exhale of air, grunting as a heavy foot slammed into his side. Quickly, the Black Cat rolled out of the way of another kick, scrambling to his feet as he wrapped a hand around his side. There was little time for Chan to catch himself or put more than a few feet of space between himself and Sungho’s goons, leaving the Black Cat with only one choice.

When Changbin had asked Chan if he’d ever been in a fight and Chan responded that he hadn’t, it had been a lie.

There had been a reason why Chan had been able to survive on the streets since he was ten years old, why he was so strong and so athletic despite none of his jobs being very physical in nature and it had very little to do with running odd jobs. While Chan had done some errands here and there for random people in the city, the majority of his work had come from a retired gang member that liked to help out people in the city from getting fucked over by corrupted officials. He had his fingers in everything in the city, and an army of street kids used as runners, enforcers, all sorts of things.

Chan in particular had been one of his most used ‘employees’ due to his cleverness and natural athletic ability. His boss, known only as Crow, put a lot of time and effort in building Chan into the perfect little worker bee, and Chan was smart enough to know that he couldn’t mistake that for anything other than being used. Old Man Crow was nice enough, civil and treated Chan well if Chan did his work, and at the time… that was enough. He’d worked for Crow until the old man’s death a couple of years ago, having to then pivot to working something more… legit, like the convenience store.

He’d told himself he wouldn’t fight like that anymore, not unless he had a damn good reason. And as Chan stared down the six men, he knew that there was no better reason than protecting the place that had become a sanctuary not only for him, but for his family. Smoothly, Chan shifted into a fighting stance, tightening his hands into fists; he’d wait for them to make the first move. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long - the men that Sungho brought along with him were eager to finish the job and hopefully, Chan was smarter than them to pick them off one by one rather than tempt fate by taking more than one on at once.

While he couldn’t overpower any one of the men on a good day, Chan knew how to fight smart. He moved deftly out of the way of whatever strikes he could, placing rough and pointed kicks to the backs of knees, and snapping fingers, anything to upset their balance. There was no denying that Chan was rusty; he hadn’t been ‘in the game’ so to speak for almost three years, but mercifully, muscle memory compensated for a lot.

What it couldn’t compensate for, however, was the numbers game and its heavy advantage. Even as sloppy as the men were getting due to not being able to take the Black Cat down, it didn’t matter when six different pairs of hands and feet were raining down on one target. Chan choked out a splattering of blood as he collapsed to the floor, pulling his hands up over his head in a vain attempt to protect himself.

Roughly, he was hauled to his feet and held tightly by two men who seemed to delight in pulling his arms back as far as they could go. Chan glared as Sungho pulled his chin up, sickening smirk curling his lips. The man that ran the Host Bar circuit in Seoul dropped the bat to the ground, instead pulling a thin metal object out of his pocket and flicking it out - it was a pocket knife, its silver blade glinting in the dim light of the bar.

“You’re pretty strong for a fucking freak show, aren’t you?” he asked rhetorically, digging the nails of his left hand into Chan’s jaw. “I’ve got to admit, though, it feels really fucking good to beat the shit out of _you_ in particular. First you embarrass me in the competition. Because of that, you lost me the chance to get Choi San, so I could grind that little piece of shit under my heel for the embarrassment he caused me. Then… then you made sure that I didn’t get that fucking cheetah back so I could recoup the money he cost me! Not only that, I had to hear Seon Myungdae bitch about how he lost his prized Maine Coon after coming here, after all the trouble I went through to get it for him. Do you know what you’re going to do for me in compensation for all this trouble, Mr. Bang?”

Chan growled softly and spat a small glob of blood in Sungho’s face. “I’m not going to do _shit_ , Kim. Every single thing that happened to you happened because you’re a piece of shit. And I’d save Hyunjin, Felix, San, that boy… I’d do it again in an instant if it meant they were safe from people like you!” His dual-coloured eyes flashed with indignation and though every single facet of his being throbbed in pain from the vicious assault he’d endured, Chan could only feel the adrenaline from the intense desire to stand firm and protect the bar and those that sought it as a sanctuary.

Enraged, Sungho swung his right hand, catching Chan in the face with the blade. He breathed heavily, watching as Chan’s head hung low, not even giving him the satisfaction of hearing a yowl of pain. “Listen you little shit! Don’t think I don’t know where _you_ came from! If you think for one fucking second that I can’t snap my fingers and have you right back in that were-cat mill, you’re even stupider than I thought!” He sneered. “Maybe I’ll even send little Yongbokie with you too, so you can have a little friend while you wait for some schmuck to pay to keep you in a nice little cage.”

Chan’s head snapped up and his eyes glowed bright as wisps of black and green started to swirl around his body, catching Sungho off guard. Blood dripped down his damaged eye treading down the old scar that he’d gotten as a child. Words were lost in the swirling maelstrom that were his emotions, strengthening in its intensity at the man’s admission. His Black Cat Mark pulsed on his chest, his jaw clenched tight in a failed attempt to stop the guttural, vicious growls from leaving his lips.

With no desire to hold back the full force of his rage, of his pain and that of the others who had been hurt by Kim Sungho, Chan put all of it back on the man and amplified it tenfold. He spread it past Sungho to his goons, pushing every single iota of pain that had been inflicted on him and those closest to him onto the men, watching with grim satisfaction as the seven men recoiled in pain, howling in despair. The two men that had been restraining the Black Cat dropped him like a rock, turning tail and running out of the bar with Sungho turning tail and running shortly afterwards, dropping the pocket knife in a fit of hysteria.

(They’re gone…) Chan thought dazedly as he pressed his palms to the bloodstained floor of the bar, mind reeling and body screaming in protest from all it had been through. (They won’t hurt… they won’t hurt anybody here… anymore…) Relief washed over him as his vision darkened and he slumped against the floor, unconsciousness overtaking him like a tide pulling the sand out to sea.

~ * ~

Felix skipped a bit in his walk as he followed the other hosts to _God’s Menu_ early the next morning, unable to keep the grin from his lips. “This is going to be great,” he said, hanging onto Hyunjin’s arm. “Channie-hyung’s gong to be so surprised.”

“You sure he’s still going to be asleep?” Seungmin asked, scratching his cheek. “He’s always up late working on stuff.”

The Lynx nodded. “He goes to bed around 2 a.m. if he even stays up late nowadays. He should be asleep, so we can set everything up no problem.”

“I can’t believe we pulled everything together in time,” Jisung sighed, rubbing his face. “That hiccup with the track nearly derailed everything.”

“Somebody is smiling down on us for sure,” Changbin said with a laugh, shaking his head. His laughing was cut off, however, as Minho stopped short just as they turned the corner towards _God’s Menu_ , causing a domino effect of everyone slamming into each other’s backs. “Ow, the fuck? What is it, Min?”

Minho frowned and pulled his hands out of his pockets. “The doors are open. Something’s wrong.” Not waiting for anybody to respond, Minho took off like a shot into the Bar, followed quickly by Jisung and Felix, both of them having flashbacks to Chan’s birthday when the bar was trashed. Jeongin, Changbin, Seungmin and Hyunjin looked at each other in increasing concern before they too ran inside the bar, skidding to a halt when they saw what awaited them.

Chan was lying face down on the floor with Minho, Felix and Jisung kneeling at his side, the hardwood floor covered in dried, splattered blood. A couple of chairs and tables had been shoved aside and a few had been broken, but the bar otherwise looked to be relatively undisturbed. Quickly, the other four hurried over, sliding down to their knees and pressing their palms down to the floor.

“Is he —” Jeongin couldn’t even get the words out, the possibility too horrible to voice aloud.

To everyone’s immense relief, Minho shook his head and moved his fingers from Chan’s neck. “He’s alive,” he said, exhaling deeply. “But he’s in rough shape, probably has a couple cracked ribs, and this eye injury needs to be cleaned _now_.” He looked over at the others. “Changbin, help me get him upstairs. Felix — _Felix_.”

Startling out of his panic-induced haze, Felix snapped his head up and looked at the Birman. “H-Hyung?”

“He’s going to be okay,” Minho promised, placing a hand firmly on Felix’s shoulder. “But I need you to hold it together - with Chan-hyung out of commission, you’re the boss; the others are going to be looking to you for guidance. Hang in there.”

Felix watched as Minho and Changbin hauled Chan up off the floor and began carrying him up the two flights of stairs to the loft. Slowly, almost mechanically, the Lynx turned to the others and realized that Minho was right: he had to be brave, he had to be the glue that held it together. “Okay,” he said, forcing the tremor out of his voice, “we gotta… we gotta document everything, take pictures of the whole bar, make sure that everything’s still here.” He rubbed his temples, trying to clear his thoughts. “Do we call the police?”

“We probably should,” Seungmin said, looking over at the others.

“I don’t know what good it’ll do,” Jisung muttered. “But maybe that’s just me and my lack of faith in the system to help us.”

Jeongin shook his head. “We should call them anyway and check the security cameras; hyung usually does that first thing every morning before we open. If we have all that done, then they can’t use the excuse that we didn’t go through the proper channels. If it doesn’t do shit, then it doesn’t do shit. At least we tried.” Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hyunjin crouch down in front of some kind of metallic object. “Hyunjin-hyung?”

“I know who did this,” Hyunjin whispered, golden orange eyes fixated on the pocket knife. “It’s going to take a lot more than a police report to make him see any kind of repercussion.”

Seungmin frowned. “What do you mean, hyung?”

Hyunjin pointed at the pocket knife. “This is … this is Kim Sungho’s. I recognize it. He’d use it … a lot. On the hosts, when we … didn’t listen.” Subconsciously, the young were-cat placed a hand on the back of his neck, where his long blond hair covered it. “He’s got friends everywhere. Definitely on the police force. I’m… with Jisung; there’s nothing they’d do, especially if it’s him.”

“We still need to do it,” Jeongin protested. “We can’t just sweep it under the rug.”

“No one’s saying that,” Felix interrupted, surprising them. “But let’s figure out if anything was taken or whatever, first. I’m gonna go and check the security footage. Seungmin, can you take the first aid kit - the big one - to Minho-hyung upstairs?”

Seungmin nodded slowly and pushed himself to his feet. “Yeah, hyung. Of course.”

As the Maine Coon went up with the hefty first aid kit, Changbin came downstairs, wiping his bloodied hands off with a handkerchief. “So what’s the plan?” the Bobtail asked, face grim.

“I’m gonna check the security footage, and I’ve asked Jeongin and Hyunjin-hyung to check the rest of the bar in case something was stolen or broken or whatever,” Felix replied, standing up. “Hyunjin-hyung thinks Kim Sungho did it, and we were trying to figure out if it was worth making a police report.”

Changbin sucked his teeth. “Let’s check the cams and see if they caught anything. I have half a fucking mind to give the footage to the local news and let the court of public opinion take him out but we gotta see if there’s anything there first.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Felix agreed. Quietly, he walked over to Hyunjin and put a hand on his shoulder. “Hyung, are you all right? Do you need to sit down?”

“…No, I’m fine,” Hyunjin whispered, shaking his head. “You want me and Jeonginie to give the bar a once over?”

“…Yeah,” Felix confirmed, nodding. Hyunjin nodded and silently started walking towards the far end of the bar, starting back from where Chan’s office was. Concerned, Felix turned to Jeongin. “Keep an eye on him?”

Jeongin nodded. “Yeah… yeah, I will.”

Felix smiled, forcing himself to remember his personal motto. (Just a little braver… I can do this. I can do this.) “Thank you, Jeongin.” He nodded to Changbin, the two of them going into Chan’s office and he bit his lip as he opened up the eldest’s laptop. “Hopefully he hasn’t actually changed the password yet…” Felix mumbled as he powered the laptop on, typing away on the keyboard. “Okay, here’s the program for the security cameras…”

Changbin rested a hand on the back of the desk chair as Felix sat down, searching through the program for the footage from after the bar closed. “Set it to 1.5x speed, we don’t know when this happened,” Changbin suggested. He watched as the younger were-cat silently clicked around, finding the submenu and increasing the playback speed. “…remember to breathe, Felix.”

“I’m fine,” Felix replied, his voice monotone. “I just … need to push forward right now otherwise I’m going to freak out and nobody needs that right now.” His green eyes flicked up towards Changbin. “How bad is he?”

The Bobtail was silent for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “The most worrying part is the eye injury,” Changbin answered, crouching down so he was about eye-level with Felix. “We don’t know how bad it is, but Min’s pretty sure that he’s got a bruised rib and everything else is surface shit like bruises and cuts.”

Felix frowned at him. “How is Minho-hyung so sure? Shouldn’t … we should take him to the hospital.”

“We will if we need to,” Changbin promised, squeezing his knee gently. “And Min … Min’s family used to own a clinic in his hometown so he grew up around medicine.”

“His family did?” Felix asked, surprised. “But … he … the two you are… strays, like us.”

Changbin nodded slightly. “It’s not really my story to tell, but the long and the short of it is that capitalism doesn’t care about how much you want to help people.” He looked back at the screen. “—wait, there. Play it normally there.”

Felix jumped and turned back to the computer, stopping the playback and resetting the speed to normal. He swallowed and tried to keep himself focused as Changbin rose to his feet, watching the security footage from the night before. His eyes widened as the doors crashed open, with Sungho waltzing in with six burly men, each one of them holding weapons and ready to deal damage. “Hyunjin-hyung was right,” he whispered. “It’s Kim Sungho…”

“I knew this asshole would try it again,” Changbin muttered, gripping the back of the chair. His brows furrowed as Sungho waved a bat around, saying something to the hulking men behind him. Chan then appeared in the footage, having come out from inside of the office they were in right now, the two men exchanging heated words until Sungho swung the bat. Changbin’s eyes widened slightly as Chan caught the bat, only to be cracked in the back by one of Sungho’s goons.

“Get out of there, Channie…” Felix whispered, frowning as he watched Chan roll out of the way, knowing that it didn’t end well given what they came upon, but still he stupidly hoped that something would change.

Changbin’s grip tightened on the back of the chair, jaw clenching as he almost doubled his vision from focusing on the screen too hard. His eyes widened as he saw Chan’s stance change, the Black Cat’s entire body language shifting to something that screamed _offence_. “Wait, that stance, I— christ!” He moved back in surprise as Chan broke the jaw of the nearest thug with a right handed haymaker. As the shock faded, Changbin watched as the Black Cat specifically targeted his attackers’ legs and joints, further spiking his suspicion. “You sure have your secrets, Chan-hyung…”

“I thought he said he’d never been in a fight before,” Felix said, swallowing thickly.

“Seems like he left out a few things,” Changbin replied, his eyes never once leaving the screen, though he squeezed Felix’s shoulder with his free hand. “Shit - there’s too many of them. You sure you wanna keep watching this, Felix? It’s … not going to be great.”

Felix shook his head. “I need to see it through to the end.” He swallowed, almost regretting his decision in an instant when he saw Chan collapse to the ground, his soulmate being assailed on all fronts by men whose only goal was to break him into pieces. He flinched as two of the men grabbed the Black Cat, holding him back by the arms and holding him in prime position to be offered up to Sungho. “Shit. I wish I could hear what they’re saying.”

“Tell me about it,” Changbin agreed, shaking his head. “We’d probably have this asshole dead to rights if we could record sound, but the law’s pretty firm on the whole — shit, don’t look!”

His exclamation was, in hindsight the wrong thing to say to warn Felix not to look, as the Lynx instinctively looked back at the computer screen just as Sungho’s blade caught Chan in the face. He let out an involuntary shout, leaning forward as if it was possible to jump into the screen and stop it from happening. “Chan-hyung!”

Changbin frowned; it was harder to watch than he’d thought and it wasn’t the worst thing that the Bobtail had seen on the streets. Maybe it was worse because of _who_ it had happened to, someone who had, in such a short amount of time, become one of Changbin’s closest friends. As Felix put his head in his hands, unable to keep looking at the screen, Changbin took the chance to rewind back - he had to see how bad the strike was. The footage was a little shoddy, and the angle not the best, but he was able to see that Sungho had reacted sloppily and with no finesse, and Chan had moved at the last second.

Maybe… Maybe he’d just been grazed.

Sungho waved the pocket knife around, saying something with enough venom that it was coming through the screen loud and clear. Changbin came around the side of the chair, and put his arms around Felix, pulling the Lynx into a warm and comforting hug as the footage continued to play. “Holy shit!” His exclamation came just as Chan’s head snapped up and his entire expression changed from defiant to _enraged_.

Felix put a hand to his mouth; even the last time he saw Chan actually angry - the day of the Host Bar Battle - was nothing compared to this. There was nothing but pure, unadulterated rage and pain in his soulmate’s eyes and it tore Felix’s heart in half. “Channie…” he whispered, his voice cracking with distress.

“What the hell… why’d they just drop him and run?” Changbin frowned.

“His magic,” Felix explained weakly. “He must have used his Black Magic… he can … transplant emotions from one person to another, he can manipulate them… read the thoughts in them. He must have… shown them how he felt.” But unlike when he had done it to the thugs outside of Hyunjin’s apartment, it was clear that Chan had shown no restraint this time. Honestly, Felix felt even that was too light, for what they did to his soulmate.

Changbin slowly nodded, eyes flicking up to the screen where Chan had been abandoned by his attackers, and left to collapse against the floor where they’d found him hours later. “There’s some good news,” he said after a long moment. “I think hyung was able to avoid most of the damage. And we got that asshole clear on the footage.”

The Lynx were-cat nodded back, exhaling deeply. “We should make the police report, and we should make a copy of this footage and put it somewhere safe. And … I’m gonna call BamBam-hyung.”

Changbin blinked. “BamBam-hyung?”

“Yeah, he’s … a Black Cat, and he can make potions. He’ll know how to make something that’ll help hyung heal faster,” Felix explained, pulling out his phone. “Plus, I was gonna call him once we were here so he could get started on prep for the anniversary night. And… I know he’ll tell Miss. Raven.”

At that, Changbin’s eyes widened as he remembered what happened when Raven found out about what happened to Jeongin. A small grin came to his lips and he gave Felix a tight hug. “Now that’s something I can get behind.”

Felix smiled and dialled BamBam’s number. “Good Morning, hyung. We’re all here at the bar, but… someone broke in and attacked Chan-hyung.”

“They what?!” BamBam exclaimed. “Who? Who the hell would attack Channie?”

“We’re still figuring that out. But, hyung, he’s in really bad shape… his eye got cut and he got beaten up pretty bad. Do you think… you can help?” Felix asked, swallowing.

There was a brief pause on the other end, but Felix could hear the sound of items rattling around - as if BamBam was grabbing a bunch of things and throwing them into a bag. “Yeah, I’m on my way, Lynxie; be there inside 15 minutes.”

A wave of relief shot through the young Aussie, and he nodded. “Thank you, hyung.” He hung up and looked up at Changbin. “Help’s on the way.”

Changbin smiled and gave Felix a tight hug. “You’re doing great, Felix. C’mon, let’s get this footage copied onto a couple spare USB sticks and fill the others in.”

“Right!” Feeling a bit more in control, Felix opened one of the drawers at Chan’s desk and grabbed a small handful of spare USB’s - Chan having a habit of having more on hand than he needed for various things - and began copying footage over, leaving space at the beginning and end for posterity purposes.

By the time that they finished copying to three more USB sticks, BamBam had arrived, but he didn’t come alone. Standing beside him and dressed all in black and silver was Kwon Jiyong, his icy blue hair peeking out from underneath his stylish black toque. He licked his lips, tongue lightly sliding over a sapphire encrusted lip ring that was connected to a silver chain that hooked into an ear cuff on his left ear. BamBam closed the door behind him and locked it, gesturing for Jiyong to follow him into the bar. “Oi, Felix!” BamBam called.

“I’m here, hyung!” Felix called back, hurrying out of the office with Changbin.

“— Holy shit it’s G-Dragon,” Changbin breathed, eyes wide.

Jeongin stared at him. “Get your shit together, hyung!”

Bowing deeply, Felix led Jiyong and BamBam over to the others. “Thank you for coming so quickly, hyung. I didn’t want to say this over the phone but we know exactly who attacked Chan-hyung.”

“I had a feeling you did,” BamBam agreed, and gestured with his head. “I went to tell Miss. Raven where I was going and she felt the same way.”

“I invited myself along,” Jiyong explained, shrugging his shoulders slightly. “Raven didn’t want me overextending myself, but she isn’t the only one pissed off that someone attacked Bang Chan. I can hex this asshole six ways to Sunday if I’ve got a good enough photo of him, footage will work too. It’d be best if I had something he owned, but I doubt he left anything.”

Quietly, Hyunjin stepped forward. “…will this work?” he asked quietly, holding out something wrapped in a handkerchief. “This is something he had on him all the time.”

Jiyong raised an eyebrow but nodded and bowed slightly, taking the bundle from Hyunjin. “Thank you. — Yeah, this’ll do,” he said as he revealed the pocket knife. He turned to BamBam. “I’ll entertain the kids.”

BamBam blinked once before realizing what the statement meant. “Thanks, hyung.” He bowed deeply before hurrying upstairs, lugging a fairly hefty backpack with ease.

“You kids want to see how hexes work?” Jiyong asked conversationally, pulling up a chair and sitting down at the long table. He gestured with a ring adorned hand for the younger were-cats sit, and they immediately complied, eyes wide. “Here’s what you need to hex: your target’s face or something they own, and a component pouch. The pouch contains a bunch of materials that help cast the spell, so we’ve got things like crushed diamond dust, holly and mistletoe ashes, brimstone. There’s some other stuff, but we don’t really have time to get into that.”

Seungmin blinked and peered at the component pouch as Jiyong opened it up enough to be looked into. “Is it the same stuff all the time?” he asked curiously.

“There are different levels of hexes, and the really powerful ones need some really rare materials and a really strong Black Cat to cast ‘em,” Jiyong explained easily as he placed the handkerchief down on the table and plucked the pocket knife out, setting it aside. He folded the handkerchief and moved it out of the way, sliding the pocket knife front and centre with his sleeve. “A hex could last generations, but it’s rare.”

Hyunjin’s eyes flicked up from the pocket knife to Jiyong. “What kind of … how strong is this one?”

Jiyong smirked. “Oh, it’s going to be a doozy; this asshole not only hurt Channie, but hurt all of you somehow so I’ve got a lot of leeway to do what I want to this guy. Now this, is something called _dragons bane_ , a type of herb that is really hard to find and expensive as hell, but worth it for a hex like this.”

Changbin leaned forward, dual coloured eyes peering curiously at the herb. “Ugh, it smells like shit.”

“The worse it smells the better it is for hexing,” Jiyong said with a laugh. “All right. Watch carefully: one hand has to be holding the components, mixed perfectly in a highly specific ratio; one wrong mix and the effects are … not good. My other hand is going to take the magical properties from the components, mix with my magic, and infuse it all into this pocket knife. Because it has such a strong connection to the owner, it’ll hit faster, and harder.”

Felix blinked and looked at the others. “And Sannie-hyung could do these?”

Jisung nodded. “But he’s self taught so I don’t think he could do something on this level.”

“It takes a lot of training and practice to get to this, and honestly, even then not every Black Cat with a specialty in hexing can do it. I think this kid I taught, Jungkook ... I think he'd be able to do it. — watch carefully now,” Jiyong said, his eyes starting to glow brightly, as did the Mark on the back of his neck.

Wisps of black and green energy with sparks of blue and purple began to swirl from his fingertips, pulling up the mixture of Jiyong’s components and disappearing _inside_ the pocket knife. The younger were-cats watched, fascinated, as the magical components continued to be poured into the knife, the wisps of magical energy getting stronger and more vibrant as Jiyong spoke the incantation. Then, all too soon, it all stopped with a wretched gasp.

“And it’s done.”

“Whoa!” Jisung exclaimed, staring at the pocket knife. “That’s so _cool_.”

Jiyong nodded, satisfied with both the reaction and the hex. “Now I don’t need this pocket knife anymore; you can hand it over to the police when you get all that in order.” Carefully, he scooped up the handkerchief and re-wrapped the knife, all the while making sure none of his fingerprints got on it. He closed the component pouch and slid it back into his pocket, patting it gently.

“…can you tell us what kind of hex you cast?” Jeongin asked, unable to help himself.

“Heh, wish I could, kids. But the less you know the better,” Jiyong replied as he leaned back in his seat. “Don’t worry, this asshole is going to be feeling this one for a long time until he gets his shit together.” Turning his head slightly, he called over his shoulder, “BamBam, you good?”

BamBam poked his head down from the top of the stairs, red hair bright in the sunlight. “Yo! Yeah, we’re good. I’m just making some extra applications of the salve for Channie’s eyes and to help his ribs heal then we’re set. You can head off if you wanna, hyung.”

Jiyong nodded and pushed himself up to his feet. “Yeah, I’ve got schedules this morning. I’ll let Raven know that everything’s good.”

“—wait, can I … is it … can I get your autograph? Please?” Changbin blurted, causing the others to dissolve into a fit of giggles. “Shut up!”

As if to make things worse, Jiyong looked amused. “Got $50? — I’m just kidding. Hang on a sec.” He pulled his messenger bag over and dug through it, humming idly as he pulled out a small handful of promotional 6x4 photographs and a gold sharpie. “How many of you are there… eight, including Channie?” He pulled out his phone and searched for something, then set his phone down and began to autograph 8 photos in rapid succession, each personalized. “Boom. Now I really gotta get going.”

Quickly, all six hosts jumped to their feet and bowed deeply. “Thank you!”

Jiyong chuckled. “Don’t mention it. See you kids later.” He waved and headed off, closing the door behind him.

“Holy shit,” Changbin said as he carefully picked up the small photograph, staring at the gold ink. “That was _crazy_. How’d he know our names?”

Jeongin blinked at him. “He looked us up on the website. Didn’t you see him look at his phone just now?”

“He was too starstruck,” Felix giggled.

“Shut up! Like you all weren’t!” Changbin snapped, flushed bright red. “You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take.”

Minho snorted as he came down the steps with BamBam. “Easy there, Wayne Gretzky,” he said, unrolling his sleeves and fixing them. “What’s all the commotion about?”

Hyunjin grinned a little. “Changbinnie-hyung asked G-Dragon for his autograph and was totally fanboying. It was really cute.”

“It was _sad_ ,” Jisung snickered.

“Cram it!” Changbin groaned.

Minho rolled his eyes and picked up one of the two remaining photos, raising an eyebrow. “Did the rest of you ask, too?”

“No, he just did those all at once,” Seungmin replied, trying not to smile too widely at the card in his hand. “He was really nice, he showed us how he cast the Hex on Kim.”

The Birman blinked and set the photograph down. “Guess that’s what passes as entertainment these days.” He sat down in one of the empty seats alongside BamBam. “Chan-hyung’s eye isn’t as bad as we thought, but it got scratched so he’ll be wearing a protective eye patch for a while. BamBam-hyung’s made a few potions for general healing and then a specific one to drop into his eye until it’s healed. We shouldn’t have to go to the hospital.”

BamBam nodded. “I gave Min the rundown, but if you got any questions, hit me up. Channie’s gonna be out until later today so just keep an eye on him. I think he’ll be fine for tomorrow, but he can’t take as many appointments as he was going to.”

“We’ll combine them with mine,” Felix said, sitting forward. “We’ll make use of the bigger table and just have a bunch of group dates. Everybody’s going to be shifted around a bit but I don’t think it’ll make a big difference.”

“So we’re still going to open?” Seungmin asked, rubbing his neck.

“I think we should,” Felix confirmed, nodding. “I don’t want Kim to get any satisfaction from what hedid. And I know Chan-hyung would feel the same way. This is something that we all built with our blood, sweat and tears. We’re going to persevere and we’re going to keep going, we’re going to keep fighting back, no matter how many times it takes. This is … this is our home and we’re going to make sure it stays where it is.” He looked around at the others. “And… it’s not just for us anymore. A lot of people have come to depend on it, like we have and we should be strong for them too.”

A small, fond smile creased Minho’s lips and he leaned over to ruffle Felix’s hair. “Well said.”

Emboldened, Jisung pulled out his phone. “Okay, let’s get down to brass tacks. We have a lot of work to do to get everything ready for hyung. Everybody ready?” He put his hand into the middle of the table, fist clenched.

One by one, the hosts of _God’s Menu_ put their fists into the middle and nodded. “Stray Kids, whoo!” they exclaimed, pulling their hands up and out.

~ * ~

Chan groaned as he opened his eyes; it felt like his entire body had been slammed into a concrete wall and bumbled around in a dryer at high speed for an eternity. Half his vision cleared and he started, panic beginning to set in. “W-What—”

“Easy!” Felix exclaimed, putting a hand on Chan’s broad shoulders and guiding him to lie back down. “It’s okay, your other eye is hurt; it’s bandaged. That’s why you can’t see.”

“F-Felix?” Chan’s mind was spiralling. The last thing he could remember was Kim Sungho and hearing that he’d been the one behind the were-cat trafficking ring that most of them had been sold into. “Are you— the others—”

Felix smiled and sat back, showing him that the others were sitting around the room wherever there was space. “We’re all here and we’re all safe,” he reassured.

“You really scared us, you know,” Hyunjin said, pouting.

“Sorry,” Chan apologized, putting a bandaged hand to his head.

“When were you going to tell us that you were John Wick?” Changbin asked, leaning back against the wall. At Chan’s confused look, Changbin continued, “Felix and I saw the footage, hyung. You used to work for Old Man Crow, didn’t you?”

The Black Cat stilled, the colour draining from his already pale face. Minho’s posture stiffened and he shot a questioning look to Changbin, who kept his gaze firmly holding Chan’s. “Yeah,” Chan finally admitted after a long stretch of silence, “I… came to Seoul when I was ten; there was no way for me to survive on my own. Old Man Crow found me one day, right after I’d climbed this fence from stealing someone’s bottles so I could sell them. He said he had better work for me that paid a hell of a lot better. I was desperate, so I said okay.” Chan frowned, and looked up at the ceiling, unable to look any of them in the eye. “I worked for the Old Man for about ten years; did everything from running errands to enforcing to escorting innocent civilians that bought safety from the Old Man. When he died, I cut ties and went legit; I started working at the convenience store and that's where I was right up until I met Miss. Raven.”

Minho frowned at him. “Why didn’t you say anything? We knew Old Man Crow too. The person that took over for him is a piece of shit. That’s why we split.”

Chan shook his head. “I wanted to forget that part of my life. The Old Man was fine, but … I don’t know, something about how he ran things still felt shady. I mean, he was a gangster, he wasn’t gonna be totally good. Still, I wanted to put it behind me, if I could.”

“What was your codename?” Changbin asked, pressing the point.

Chan raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Indulge me,” Changbin replied.

“…Roo,” Chan finally replied. “I figured it was supposed to be _Kangaroo_ but the Old Man couldn’t pronounce it properly so they called me Roo. Then again, I was 10 when he named me, so I guess he was thinking of the _Winnie the Pooh_ character.”

Something changed in Changbin’s eyes and he nodded after a long moment; recognition seemed to dawn in Minho’s eyes too. “I knew I’d heard about you. The Old Man always talked about this ‘Roo’ and how good you were. Didn’t matter what he gave you, you did it; you even beat the shit out of a woman’s abusive husband and delivered him to the police. When the Old Man died and you disappeared, it all went to shit. I was pretty surprised to see that _Roo_ was actually Bang Chan…”

“I said I’d never use those skills unless I had a damn good reason. Protecting the Bar, making sure Sungho never got near all of you… it was reason enough,” Chan replied, glancing back at Felix. “He was behind it all.”

Felix frowned. “What?”

Chan’s visible eye darkened. “I’m pretty damn sure that he’s behind the trafficking ring. He said he was the one that sold Seungmin to Seon. He was going to put Hyunjin back into it to get his money back. He admitted all of it when he was jawing off to me. Even said he knew that you and I were sold into that ring, but never pursued us. When I heard that, I just… I lost it.”

“Oh that piece of _shit_ ,” Jisung hissed. “Sannie and I _knew_ he was into some shady shit but nobody could ever nail him on it!”

“That also explains why he was so pissed when you beat him in the competition,” Changbin said as Hyunjin pulled Seungmin into a tight hug. “If a club full of were-cats, the very ‘commodity’ he was selling, beat him and did it legit … yeah, I could see where he’d lose it.” He huffed, shaking his head. “I bet Mr. Kwon knew it, same as Miss. Raven … that’s probably why he had such a long leash to do what he wanted with the hex.”

Chan’s brows furrowed. “What? Hex?”

“I called BamBam-hyung to help… we didn’t know if we should take you to a hospital or not, so I figured his potions would help,” Felix explained, squeezing his hand gently. “When he came, Mr. Kwon came too… and he cast a pretty strong hex on Sungho. He wouldn’t tell us what it was, for plausible deniability.”

The Black Cat was silent for a long moment. “Did you call the police?” he asked finally.

Jeongin nodded, pulling his knees up to his chest from where he was on the floor by the door. “Yeah, we were talking to them while you were unconscious. We gave them a copy of the footage, but just in case, Yongbok-hyung and Changbin-hyung made extra copies… we don’t know if … that guy has friends on the force to try and suppress the evidence.”

A very faint smile creased Chan’s lips and he nodded slightly. “I’m… really glad you’re all… that everyone’s okay. I was… so worried. You’re …” He smiled, swallowing thickly. “You’re my family. I love you, all of you.”

All at once, the younger were-cats’ eyes widened and they all got up from where they were, descending on to Chan’s bed and hugging him as gently as they could; even Minho, who hated hugs. Chan blinked as he was carefully but firmly pulled into a warm embrace from all sides, being nuzzled like his life depended on it. Tears welled up in his eyes and he hunched up his shoulders, reaching out with his hands to touch who he could. Overwhelming waves of the deepest kinds of familial love coursed through every single one of the young men, wrapping Chan in a warm blanket of emotion.

“You’re our family too,” Felix whispered.

“We’re each other’s family,” Seungmin added, sniffling.

Felix smiled as he pressed a kiss to Chan’s bandaged eye. “And that means we’re going to take care of you now, Channie-hyung. While you recover and afterwards. We’re all in this together.”

A warm smile came to Chan’s lips and he nodded, laughing a little and regretting it as his bruised rib screamed in protest. “Okay, I surrender,” he said. “But in exchange, you have to tell me what surprise you guys were planning the last two weeks.” At their surprised looks, Chan laughed. “Did you think you were all subtle or something?”

Hyunjin huffed from where he was still snuggling Seungmin. “Well now you definitely don’t get to know!”

Minho smirked slightly and extricated himself from the pile. “It’s not going to happen until the anniversary night, anyway.”

“Fine, keep your secrets,” Chan said with a smile. In truth, he didn’t really care what the surprise was, he was more than happy that his family was safe, and that they were healthy. That they thought enough of the Bar to do something like this was icing on the cake. “But one of you is going to have to work overtime to make this ugly mug of mine presentable for tomorrow night.”

Hyunjin smiled. “I think I’m up to the task… if Yongbokie will let me anywhere near you.”

Felix huffed as he hugged Chan in faux-possessiveness. “I will _consider_ it.” His antics brought out a burst of laughter, and it was music to Chan’s ears - and he was sure, everyone else’s.

As Chan was on strict orders to stay his ass in bed, he wasn’t able to see what the others were doing as the Bar prepared for their anniversary. He only had his phone to occupy himself with, and he watched excitedly as the YouTube video for _God’s Menu_ exploded in views, with a steadily rising count of shares and comments of people who were talking about them. The website somehow was able to handle the influx of traffic, and Chan was never more relieved that he spent the money to fortify their servers and buy the premium tier for their scheduling program.

Carefully, Chan pushed himself out of bed when it was time to get ready. Although he was embarrassed to have Felix and Hyunjin help him, he was glad that he didn’t have to push himself through it alone. As he looked at himself in the mirror, his make-up immaculate and a black eyepatch protecting his injured eye. “…how do I look?” he asked quietly.

Felix smiled and gave his arm as squeeze, as did Hyunjin from his other side. “You look great, as always,” he said.

“Ready?” Hyunjin asked, smiling.

With a careful inhale and exhale, Chan nodded. “Ready.”

As he gingerly made his way downstairs, Chan was surprised to see that there were extra decorations along the walls, including framed pictures and messages from past customers of _Chan’s Room_ and current customers, all showing their appreciation for the Host Bar and its Hosts. Surprised and feeling overly emotional at seeing just how many lives they’d touched, Chan gently pressed a hand to one from Kim Taehyung, his smile widening.

“This is incredible…” Chan whispered.

“Took a hell of a lot of luck getting that all done in time,” Jisung said proudly.

“Worth it, though,” Jeongin said with a smile. “Looking at it like this… we really did do a lot more than we thought.”

“And I hope we continue to do it,” Chan said, looking over at Minho and nodding; it was time.

Carefully and with a bit of a limp, Chan got into position at the front of the bar, with the Hosts flanking him in their usual line up, three on one side, and four on the other. As Minho opened the doors to _God’s Menu_ and moved into his spot at the end across from Changbin, Chan put on a bright smile and bowed deeply to their first customers in line - Seokjin and Raven. Behind them, he could see Hoseok and Yoongi, who were joined by Namjoon and a shy young man with greenish-yellow eyes and a bunny smile.

“Welcome to _God’s Menu_ ; anything on our menu will satisfy all of your five senses.”

Outside, amongst the excited patrons, was a little Black Cat with purple eyes and a silver broken heart charm affixed to his tail. He sat on a mailbox, flicking his tail back and forth as he watched the crowd excitedly talk outside of the Bar. Passing by and placing a hand on his little furry head for a brief pet was a young man with fire red hair and he was joined by two young men - one with pale blond hair and icy blue eyes, and another with wavy blond hair and a wicked smile.

In the bright lights of Seoul, Bang Chan and his Stray Kids had found their home… and each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little emotional posting this last chapter! I never imagined that writing Chan's instalment of this series would spiral out to 120k and be so well loved by so many people. I love hearing from all of you, your comments and your thoughts. It's brought me so much joy! 
> 
> Please, feel free to share them and if there are any questions, anything, let me know! 
> 
> Take care of yourselves and I purple you~


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